Tales of the Departed
by Canada Cowboy
Summary: Modern, AU, crossover with The Departed. Lloyd Irving and his father, an undercover police officer, learn of a plot by half elf extremists to destroy the world. Along with friends and unlikely allies, they try to put an end to this act.
1. Prologue and Opening

Couple of reasons for this fic: first, despite never watching The Departed, I saw the original Hong Kong version (Infernal Affairs). I wanted to incorporate elements of this film in a fic, and I thought Tales of Symphonia would probably be the perfect place to do it.

Second, although TOS is a great game, I felt too often fans focused on one or two traits of characters in their fics (ie: Lloyd is a stubborn idiot, Colette is always clumsy, Genis is a boy-genius, etc). This makes characters at best 1-D, and at worst Mary-Sues/Gary-Stus (especially with romance and love-triangles). What I want to do is tap into the enormous potential of each character, something that Namco never tapped into.

So here it is, a Tales of Symphonia/The Departed/Infernal Affairs crossover, done as a modern and slight AU fic. This chapter is meant to be the opening, done to the style of the trailer of The Departed. Regular font is regular sequence. _Italics is the narration._

* * *

(Cue: guitar riff from Gimme Shelter by Rolling Stones)

_She was an aspiring novelist, off to a book convention to promote her first novel…_

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present you, all the way from Iselia, Mrs. Anna Irving!"

The crowd erupted into cheers as a young woman with shoulder-length brown hair stepped up to the podium. "Well, thank you for that wonderful welcome," Anna said into the microphone.

During the next few minutes, she described her career as mainly a short story and essay writer, and how she was inspired to write her first full-length novel. "To end it off, I want to dedicate this book to my two main sources of inspiration: my husband Gilbert, a police officer, and my six-year-old son Lloyd," she announced to the crowd, "Gil has promised me that everyone in his unit will have read the book at least once by the end of this year." The crowd howled in laughter as she concluded her speech.

(Cue: "Suspense" drum roll)

_But after finding out a deadly secret, she would not return to see her home…_

"Boss, she knows about it! Two of our guys got busted because of her, and who knows how many more are going down?" The young man seemed almost fearful.

"Relax, I've already called my associate from Iselia," the older, bald man replied, "according to his plan, she wouldn't even leave Iselia's airport alive. Our operations are still slated to start, regardless of anything."

_And now one police officer is about to take drastic action to stop this gang…_

"Gil, I know you're upset over your wife's death, and being in a unit where the case is being processed doesn't help. So why don't you take a couple of days off, and let it all cool down, then you can come back to work?" the captain suggested.

"I know, I know," Gil snapped, "but just let me know what the plan for the next move is. Tell me that much and I'll leave you alone."

The captain sighed. "Please try and keep this as confidential as possible," he said, lowering his volume, "but I've talked to the Special Investigations Unit, and we decided that this gang is way too dangerous with too many associates across Sylvarant. We were thinking of sending in a mole to infiltrate the gang and see what they're up to. Assuming that SIU has someone available for us, we're moving ahead as soon as possible."

"Wait," Gil interrupted, "no need to send someone from SIU. Send me instead."

(Cue: instrumental of I'm Shipping up to Boston by Dropkick Murphys)

_He enters a dangerous world, entirely different from his own…_

"Now that the chief and SIU approved of this mission, there are a number of things you should note," the captain briefed Gil, the soon-to-be mole, "Your records from the department will be entirely erased. This back-up file is kept in a locked cabinet for the chief and me, as we are the only ones to know your true identity."

The captain put away the file folder. "Also to note, we will be limiting our meetings. You will relay the info mainly to me, but should I not make it, the chief will be there. Other than that, you're pretty much on your own. We can't directly help you, and if you get arrested, it may take a while before we can bail you out. You could also be killed, and don't forget that you also have a young son to take care of."

After some final reflections, Gil looked up at his superior. "I'm ready."

…_putting his life on the line, as he infiltrates the group, trying to find out more…_

"This newbie, Gil, will be joining us at our next mission. Before we get going, why don't you make him feel welcome?" the leader announced. Gil saw a bunch of faces giving him unfriendly looks, some even suspicious of Gil.

As soon as the leader left the room and closed the door, a heavyset man gave Gil a two-handed shove to the back. Gil stumbled forward, only to get taken down by a close-line hit from another man. "What was that all about?" Gil snapped, glaring angrily at his two assailants.

"We don't want some stupid human getting involved in our business. What makes you think you can come in and start messing around with us?" the heavyset man growled.

"Hey, the boss clearly put me here! Take it or leave it!" Gil replied sharply.

"Just because the boss allowed a human to work with us doesn't mean we allow it," the second assailant sneered as other gang members began standing up, "we'll take you alright, but let's see how much you can take." With that, he kicked Gil in the stomach, causing the undercover police officer to double in pain.

The next few minutes were a blur to Gil, as a barrage of punches and kicks flew at him. The attack finally stopped as the gang left for their mission. Gil lied on the cold concrete floor, vision still blurry and his body in great pain. Slowly, he tried to get back up, knowing that this would be his life indefinitely.

(Cue: Electric guitar suspense music)

…_while threatening to tear his life apart, alienating him from his friends and his son…_

A young boy peered out into the living room, where his father sat with a couple of family friends. This youngster was Lloyd Irving, Gil's son. Although he was supposed to be asleep, he could not help but eavesdrop on what his father had to say.

"Guys, all I'm asking for is that when I'm out of town, please let Lloyd stay over with you guys and take good care of him," Gil pleaded his case to a bespectacled man and a grey-haired woman, "I know Lloyd and I are going through a difficult time, with me out of the force and all that, but this new position really requires me to travel, and I can't reject this job. So can you please help?"

"Sure, Gil, anything for a friend," the man responded, "But what job requires you to travel that far for that long? Surely you don't have to leave for months at a time, right?" he asked, concerned and somewhat stunned.

The elderly woman nodded, agreeing with her friend. "While I do agree that income and saving up for your son is very important, I'm not sure if it's in his best interests to have you take a position that keeps you away from him for that long," she added, "Lloyd is only six years old, so it could affect the relationship between you two. Please reconsider, Gil."

The undercover police officer struggled at his words. "I want to tell you, but I can't," he stammered as his two friends gave him suspicious looks, "Besides, Lloyd shouldn't be too badly off, right?" He turned to the bespectacled man, "Frank, your daughter is around Lloyd's age, I'm sure they'll get along. And Lynn," he turned to the old lady, "you babysat your grandkids before, so you can handle Lloyd, right?"

Gil's friends were even more worried now. "Gil, you haven't been the same since Anna passed away. Are you sure you're alright? Is there anything we can help you with?"

"I just want you to do this for me," Gil pleaded, "Do it for a good friend, I beg of you. Please take good care of Lloyd while I'm gone."

He's gone? What does that mean, Lloyd thought to himself. Seeing the adults still preoccupied, he sneaked back upstairs into his room, uncomfortable with the thought.

(Cue: Chorus of Uncomfortably Numb by Roger Waters and Van Morrison)

_And such was his life for years, forever caught between two worlds…_

"Get the info out of their Iselia branch, and we should have all their associates covered. We'll have enough info to foil all their plans across Sylvarant and crack them in no time," the captain explained as he met Gil in an alley, "When that's done, you can go back to your regular life, and all this will be nothing more than a distant memory."

"That's what you said when I cracked their first operation for you," Gil yelled, "I spent three years for Asgard, three for Palmacosta, and now I'm back in my hometown of Iselia and you're still pushing me to do this?" Gil slammed his hand against the building, "When I first started, Lloyd just got out of Kindergarten, and now he's in secondary school. You know what that means? It means I'm in this forsaken business for too long, almost a decade to be exact!" Gil ranted, jabbing his finger into the captain's chest.

"Just keep hanging on. Once we know enough about this group, we'll round them all in," the captain replied.

"So how much longer will that be?" Gil challenged his superior, "Until I've gone completely insane, and they have to drag me out in a straight jacket, heading to the nearest psychiatric ward? Is that it?"

_But the final, most recent breakthrough may be a greater risk than anyone had anticipated…_

"Our Tethe'alla associate has prepared the final stages of the plan. We will proceed with it by attacking the main source on this planet. Once that's done, everything will be controlled from our outside base, and the operation should not fail from there." Gil listened intently to the recording he made of a meeting with the Iselia head.

He jotted down some notes, while thoughtfully mumbling to himself. "If they would attack the main source, cutting off or disrupting the balance, assuming that it does this damage…oh no!" Immediately he grabbed the phone and called the police station. "Yes, I'd like to speak to Captain…he's not in now? Then send me to the chief of police, it's an emergency! I need to speak to him now!"

After a short wait, the Iselia chief of police finally picked up. Gil described his recordings to the chief, who listened with great interest and concern. "Did they reveal a time or location to this operation?" he asked.

"No, they just said the operations will start in the near future," Gil replied.

Since there was not enough information, the chief only asked Gil to sit on the lead and not take action yet, much to Gil's dismay. "Chief, this thing could cause mass destruction here, and you're telling me not to act?"

"It's a matter of national defence, which is in the military's jurisdiction, not ours," the chief responded, "once you have enough info on that, I'll pass it forward to the military and we'll depart from there."

…_and thus begins the story of…_

**TALES OF THE DEPARTED**


	2. The Initial Departure

Probably with the exception of the Four Seraphim, every main TOS character to show up in some way, shape or form. Characters representing The Departed will most likely get an OC counterpart, and Gil is such an example. The reason I use Gil in such an important role is because I can't envision Dirk, with his attitude and outlook at life, making it as an undercover cop without being OOC, and I don't feel comfortable seeing a 42-year-old Billy Costigan.

Namco owns Tales of Symphnoia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

"Oh great, another day, another boring class of history!" sixteen-year-old Lloyd Irving groaned as he slammed his locker shut. He was dressed in casual attire, wearing a loose red T-shirt, baggy jeans, skater shoes and a pair of brown open-fingered gloves.

"Relax, it's not that bad. Look on the bright side: it's Friday and you have an entire weekend to yourself," his longtime friend Colette Brunel, who was clad in a white sweatshirt with a hood, blue track pants, and sneakers, replied.

In more ways than one, Lloyd and Colette were as different as night and day. Lloyd was a tall, moderately built, spiky brown-haired individual who has never been an academic. Colette was a good six inches shorter than Lloyd, with long, shoulder-length blond hair and had been of excellent academic standing for as long as anyone could remember.

Nonetheless, they had been close friends ever since they first met in first grade. And here they were, in eleventh grade, entering their social studies classroom. "But seriously, why would anyone be interested in this history crap? Seems like it's for people who's got too much free time on their hands to me," Lloyd commented.

Colette smiled. "Just don't let my dad or his colleagues hear that, or they'll really get on your case." Colette's father Frank was a researcher in archaeology at the University of Iselia, and most times he did collaborative work with historians. "Speaking of colleagues, here's one of them right at the front."

Standing beside their social studies teacher was a silver-haired young woman, one that both Lloyd and Colette knew quite well. "Settle down, class. As you can see, we have a guest speaker today," their social studies teacher announced, "This is Raine Sage, who attended this high school five years ago. She's currently a research assistant at the University of Iselia, Department of Archaeology and is doing her Master's degree. Her current project has a lot to do with some of our topics. Without further ado, let's give her a big welcome."

The class politely applauded. "Raine, the stage is yours," the teacher stated, picking up her notebook and moving to the back of the class.

"Thank you, madam," Raine addressed the teacher, "Well, what I'm about to discuss today is something interesting, particularly towards some of the new developments that archaeological research has brought towards understanding world history. Let's begin with this…"

Soon enough, Raine began describing ideas from her research that had the class fascinated. They include theories of mana, a lost source of energy once used by ancient civilizations; Derris Kharlan, a comet that visited the planet once every fifty years that was once a mana source; and the Two Worlds theory, an idea that the planet was once split into two, and was rejoined a few hundred years ago. Soon, everyone in the class was participating, getting involved in the discussion and asking lots of questions.

Everyone, that is, except for a certain brown-haired individual, who became more and more bored by the second. "I can't stand this," Lloyd muttered to Colette, "How can anyone find this stuff interesting?"

The blond teenager tried to keep her friend in it, but even she found it to be futile. Lloyd's head drooped lower by the second, his position resembling more and more like a wilted flower. He could feel his eyelids become heavier, as keeping them open felt like lifting a pile of bricks. Before Colette could stop it, the meteor smashed into the ground as Lloyd's forehead met the desktop. THUD!

Raine turned around from the blackboard and saw the scene. Lloyd was sprawled over the desk, snoring like a freight train. He also slightly drooled, creating a small puddle before him. Colette gently shook him on the shoulder, trying to wake him up. The teacher marched up to them, crossing her arms and clearly unimpressed. Colette gave a weak smile, trying to diffuse the situation.

However, Raine surprised her friend by waving off the teacher. She put her hands right next to Lloyd's ear. With a wink at Colette, she clapped them as loudly as she could.

To Lloyd, this might as well be a lightning strike. His eyes snapped wide open and his head jolted up. "I'm awake, I'm awake!" he shouted frantically.

The entire class roared in laughter as Lloyd glanced around sheepishly. Even Raine and Colette had a few chuckles, but all became quiet as the teacher addressed Lloyd. "Well, Mr. Irving, I'm not very impressed. It's the third time this semester that you've been napping in my class. May I have a word with you after school?"

The class continued laughing as Lloyd groaned, expecting another detention. But much to his surprise, Raine interrupted. "Madam, if I may be so bold, I suggest that Lloyd serves out his detention in a different way. How about…"

* * *

"…and I get to spend the afternoon with Raine at the university to get a close-up look at her research. Just perfect!" Lloyd groaned as he headed to the parking lot. He popped open the trunk of his blue MINI Cooper and threw his backpack in.

"It's really not that bad," Colette countered as she put her bag in, and closed the trunk, "When we were younger, you stayed over at my house whenever your dad's out of town. We used to hear stories of my dad's research all the time, so why would this visit be any different?" Frank also happened to be Raine's research supervisor.

"Like you said, that was when we were little, and back then we weren't thinking about this stuff all the time," Lloyd pointed out as he unlocked the car doors.

"And now you're not thinking about anything at all," a voice behind them added. Lloyd and Colette turned around and saw a short twelve-year-old boy with silver hair, dark blue vest, light blue slacks, and black open-fingered gloves.

"Just get in the car, Genis," Lloyd snapped, "I have to spend some 'quality time' with your sister in an archaeology lab and you're not making things any better." Like Colette, Genis had known Lloyd for nearly a decade, mainly from Lloyd staying over at his grandmother's house. Despite being younger than Lloyd and Colette, Genis felt very comfortable hanging around the two, even calling him his best friends.

"My gut told me that something would happen to you today when my sister said she was the guest speaker at your class," Genis commented as he climbed into the back seat. Lloyd got into the driver side while Colette rode shotgun, "I just never figured that you'd fall asleep on her. How do you do it, Lloyd, falling asleep in class like that?"

Lloyd pointed a finger in Genis' direction. "Archaeological maniac," he turned the finger on himself, "don't really care," he repeated this action again, "Archaeological maniac, don't really care. Get my drift?" Beside him, Colette guffawed.

"Seriously, you guys are having way too much fun picking on me," Lloyd pointed out as the vehicle pulled out of the parking lot and heading for the university, "It's not like I'm not trying hard at school, it's just the stuff just doesn't seem to motivate me."

Lloyd glanced over at his two friends. Colette tried to look like she paid attention, while Genis took out his MP3 player and stuffed the headphones into his ears. "I know that sounds like a pretty weak excuse, considering I'm in the company of two honours students, but you know what I'm trying to say, right?" Lloyd asked.

"You weren't always like this," Colette replied, "You actually were interested in not just history and archaeology, but school and learning overall when we were still in elementary school."

"Then by the time you got into junior high, you just started losing interest. Raine told me a couple of times when she tutored you that you were totally spaced out," Genis recalled, flipping through the song library in the MP3, "Strange, it was also around the time when your dad didn't travel as much."

"I don't think it really matters whether he's back or not. I mean, he doesn't really say much about my school work and stuff. Come to think of it, ever since my mom died, he didn't really say a lot to me at all." Lloyd cocked his head, "I know her death affected both my dad and me quite a lot, considering I was six at the time, but does he care that little about anything else after that?" he wondered aloud.

"I don't think it's fair to take it out on your dad," Genis replied, "Being a single parent, it's not easy to provide for the family. Raine and I only got by because Grandma was there to help Dad out when he required it."

"Besides, your dad quit the police force right after the case on your mom's death was closed. That means he's probably very upset by it, so you can't say he's completely uncaring about it either," Colette added.

Lloyd nodded, seeming to understand. He did feel his friends were telling the truth, as Gil did provide for Lloyd whenever possible. But it never felt right that he served as an "absent" parent, as they never had a true father-to-son bond. Sighing to himself, he focused back on the road as they continued towards the university. "Just remind me where the archaeology department is when we get there, and where the closest parking lot is," he instructed his passengers, "I doubt that Raine is willing to refund my parking considering what a cheapskate she is."

* * *

After parking the vehicle, Lloyd, Colette and Genis made their way through the maze of hallways known as the Department of Archaeology. "How do Raine and Dr. Brunel get to their offices without ever getting lost?" Lloyd asked.

"Unlike you, they actually have a sense of direction," Genis retorted, taking another playful shot at his friend.

"The second we're out of here, you are so dead!" Lloyd threatened the young half-elf as he pushed open the door to the stairs.

As they made the last turn into the hallway where the labs were located, they saw three unusual looking men push past them into the lab. "What's their hurry?" Lloyd muttered. Upon a closer look, the three teens realized that they were headed to the Brunel lab, kicking the door open and barging in. Curious, the three cautiously stepped forward, positioning themselves right outside the room and listened in.

"Alright Brunel," they heard the supposed leader of the group say, "you have something that we want. Now it's time to hand it over."

"Wh-what are you talking about? Who are you? What do you want from me?" Colette gasped as she heard her father being threatened.

"This has to do with a couple of your past research projects. We can do this the easy way or the hard way," the leader continued, "Either way you'll have to give us what we want, so stop stalling for time."

"What's going on here?" a female voice demanded. Now it was Genis' turn to be worried, as the voice was clearly recognized to be Raine's.

Within seconds, the two men that arrived with the leader went after Raine, subduing her and taking her hostage. Frank tried to warn Raine and tell her to contact Campus Security, but it was too late. "Looks like things just got easier for us," the leader said, sneering, "I'll ask again, give us what we want, and we'll leave you alone. If not, your colleague over there will be killed right before your eyes."

At this time, Colette and Genis were downright scared. "We got to do something here, they're not looking good," Genis fretted, his hands shaking.

Suddenly, an idea popped into Lloyd's head. "Colette, there's another entrance to this lab, right?" he asked the blonde.

Colette nodded, still too frightened to speak openly. "Good. Colette, I want you to call Campus Security and direct them to this room. I'm going to create a diversion and give Raine and your father some time." Lloyd turned to the silver haired boy, "Genis, keep an eye on the situation, and make sure they're not paying any attention this way. I'm entering from Raine's office into the lab, and I'm targeting those two holding Raine. Once security is within sight, give me a signal and I'll take action."

Before the two could protest, Lloyd already took off, treading down the hallway and entering a few doors down. Sighing, Colette whipped out her cell phone, "No point in sitting around, let's help him out." Genis nodded beside her, and positioned himself right behind the door, just so he could get a glimpse but not enough to be exposed.

* * *

In the Brunel lab, Lloyd leaned right back against the wall and slowly sidestepped towards the door connecting the two labs. He could see form the halfway-opened door that the leader, who held a weapon to Frank's head, now marched him towards the file cabinet. "I want all the files on the results of those projects we mentioned," the leader demanded, "And no funny business, or you both are going to get it."

Lloyd sneaked a peek outside in the hallway. Colette turned to Genis in the middle of her phone conversation and whispered something to the half-elf. Genis looked up to see Lloyd and raised three fingers, mouthing the words, "Three minutes."

Lloyd nodded, indicating that he understood. "Three minutes, let's see what I can do in the next three minutes," he thought to himself.

He glanced around the office, trying to find something to use to his advantage, all the while thinking to himself how the plan should be carried out. "The door is open ajar, and Raine is right at the door frame. So if I can get even one of those guys away from there, it may give Raine a chance to escape," Lloyd muttered to himself. Picking up his cell phone, he wrote a text message to Collete, who was outside waiting for security to arrive. "Help out your dad, distract the guy holding him," he typed into the phone.

Colette, upon receiving the message from the phone, signalled to Genis to crawl into the lab with her. The attention was still focused on Frank flipping through the files for the assailant, so nobody really noticed them entering. From the other room, Lloyd picked up an old paperweight from Raine's desk and sneaked towards the two men holding Raine hostage.

Luckily, they had their backs turned to Lloyd, and with the leader's head also down, distracted by the notes, Lloyd brought the paperweight down on the head of an assailant in one swift motion. THUD!

The assailant quickly collapsed, and Lloyd took this chance to grab him and threw him to the ground. Being rather strong for his age, Lloyd did not experience too much difficulty in subduing the man, and soon pinned him on the ground.

"What the…what's going on?" the person capturing Raine tried to turn around, temporarily loosening his grip on Raine. Taking the chance, Raine grabbed the firearm and tried to disarm the assailant. From the desk, the leader of the group also looked up, giving Frank enough time to pin him against the cabinet as well.

There was a brief struggle on all sides, as Lloyd and his assailant twisted and turned on the ground, each trying to gain an advantage on the other. Colette now charged to her father, putting more pressure on the leader of the group, while Genis dived at the knees of the captor that Raine was dealing with, trying to make him lose balance as Raine wrestled with his firearm.

"Leave my dad alone," Colette hissed through gritted teeth, struggling to hold the leader of the group as Dr. Brunel tried to disarm him, "He did nothing to deserve you guys invading his lab!"

"When is security arriving?" Genis yelled as he bent his target's knees in an awkward angle while Raine tried to pin the upper body, "I can't hold on much longer!"

"You got guts, kid, trying to disrupt our operation," the man Lloyd was tangled with commented as they continued flailing on the ground, "You don't know what you're messing with."

"I could say the same about you," Lloyd replied arrogantly, "Nobody messes with my friends and gets away with it."

Unfortunately for Lloyd and his friends, they were beginning to fatigue, and slowly losing their battle to subdue their captors. Lloyd soon lost grip and his assailant turned the tables on him, flipping him around and sending him crashing into the wall. Genis also had his grip on his assailant's knees shaken loose, and Raine received an elbow to the chin as the assailant turned.

But it was Colette and Frank that received the hardest of the hits, as the leader completely ripped free from father and daughter. The force was so great that Frank was sent sprawling into his chair, nearly tipping it over. Colette was also sent flying back, lodging herself right in between two cabinets. The leader then grabbed his weapon from the ground and brandished it at the group. "All of you, into the room. Gather right in this corner, no funny business," his voice dripping with acid.

The words cut like a knife through the air as Raine and the three teens surrendered and moved into the Brunel lab. Genis and Raine gathered behind Frank's desk, while Lloyd attempted to tend to Colette. "Dr. Brunel, I won't ask again. Give me those documents, and you won't be harmed," the leader demanded once more.

This time, Frank signalled the group to stay down and not put up another fight. He reopened a bunch of files and began flipping through them, taking out pages of research notes and findings and handing them to the leader. Raine could not see what those notes were exactly, but it seemed to be from a project they started a year ago. Strange, she thought to herself, why would they want our findings from the last few years?

Her train of thought was interrupted when the two minions stepped back into the room. "Sir," one began, "campus security is coming up as we speak. Should we continue with the operation?"

The leader snatched a couple more sets of files from Frank. "No, we've caused enough of a scene here. Our intentions were to get this stuff as quickly and discretely as we possibly can," he answered, "Let's leave at once and keep our distance from security." Tucking the files under his arm, he backed away from the desk and towards the door, never keeping his weapon off the group as he stepped out.

That left the group somewhat shocked and confused. Why the intruders would come into the lab, threaten Frank with weapons, take only a bunch of documents and leave upon hearing security was beyond them. Nonetheless, personal safety was the most important concern to them. "Is everybody alright?" Frank asked as he slowly got up. Moving to his daughter, he slowly lifted Colette to her feet.

Lloyd, Genis and Raine all seemed to be barely recovering from the shock of that little incident. They struggled to their feet, wobbling like a three-legged table. "Whatever the heck that was, it sure was weird," Lloyd commented.

"Never mind that, let's just focus on giving security our testimonies," Raine suggested, "From the looks of it, they may involved the police as well."

* * *

"So let me get this straight," the head security guard began, "you were in the lab when these guys busted in from nowhere, and began threatening with a weapon that did not seem like a regular firearm. Their demands were not money or valuables or artefacts from your study sites, but a bunch of old research papers you did years back?" The guard finished by staring at Frank with a puzzled look.

"I know it's unbelievable, but all of that is true," the blond professor explained, "All they were after were my old research notes. They took no valuables, no money."

"But you still have a copy of those papers or notes, right?" the guard asked, "I mean, assuming you can replicate them easily, theoretically the losses aren't great. But I would still like to know what they are to complete my report."

"I do," Frank answered, "I have some copies at home, and a bunch a saved on my laptop. I'll just show you here…"

Meanwhile, the other security guard escorted Lloyd, Colette, Genis, and Raine to the police officer waiting in the hallway. They all gave their eyewitness accounts to the officer, who wrote enough notes to publish a small novel. "I have to admit, you kids got guts taking on those guys like that," the officer said to the three teens, "Normally we would recommend that you let the authorities handle it."

"Yeah, I guess, but we couldn't just let them hurt Raine or Dr. Brunel," Lloyd pointed out sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I don't know about those three, but to be honest, I was scared," Raine admitted, "I mean, I seriously thought they were bringing Frank and I down if we didn't give them what they wanted."

"And thanks to your young friends, disaster was avoided, but barely." The officer shuffled his notes back in place and put them in his pocket, "I would say that the grounds for this are strange, since they were after your research and not your valuables. However, we do have some leads on cases of a similar nature, where academics from both in Iselia and other towns being threatened all because they did some research on topics similar to yours. I appreciate your cooperation and will keep you posted on our investigation."

The foursome gave each other uneasy looks, as this was one unusual case indeed. At this time, the officer prepared to radio his station. "Since Colette's father is present, and Genis' family is represented by Raine, who is over eighteen, I don't have to call their families. However, Lloyd is only sixteen, therefore I will ask our colleagues back at the station to call his father."

Lloyd's heart sank as the officer gave out instructions on his radio. The expression on Lloyd's face looked like he had been gut-punched, and was frozen there even as the officer turned around to face him. "What's the matter? You think you'd get in trouble with your dad or something?" the officer demanded.

Lloyd looked at the officer, "Actually, I don't really know what my dad's going to think," Lloyd replied, shrugging, "I've never seen him show much emotion at all, so I really don't know how he'll react when he hears about me going up against those guys."

* * *

"You did what?" Gil was in complete shock over the police report, and upon confirmation with his son, did not react positively to the news. All of which were surprising to Lloyd, as it was one of the few times when his father would show emotions that openly.

"Dad, Raine and Dr. Brunel were in danger, and there was no way Colette, Genis, and I would stand there and watch them do whatever they wanted," Lloyd explained, standing before his father who was seated behind the desk in his room, "Besides, it's not like we couldn't handle ourselves out there. Colette and I did do a few years of martial arts, you know." From their elementary school days on, Lloyd and Colette joined a martial arts club that allowed them to practice fighting techniques of the ancient past. Genis was somewhat interested, but they never convinced him to go because Genis felt he was never really good with martial arts.

"First off, you pulled out of that club almost two years ago. Your school marks were too low to consider any extra-curricular activities," Gil pointed out, "Without any practice for two years I doubt you could beat anybody up. Secondly, when I used to be a police officer, they told me that whenever a suspect held any type of weapon, I should be prepared with my gun should they strike. Assuming these guys had some firearm with them, the chances of you guys winning are slim, even with martial arts skills."

"Look, I'm pretty sure we can handle ourselves out there, so can you please cut us some slack?" Lloyd snapped, annoyed with his father's advice.

"Hey, I'm worried about you. You're the only family I've got," Gil responded, crossing his arms.

Lloyd said nothing. Ever since his mother died ten years ago, his father had done everything he possibly could to ensure his safety. Yet Lloyd felt this was the very reason why he never had a strong father to son bond with Gil. Ever since he quit the police force shortly after Anna's death, Gil was usually preoccupied with his work, spending very little time with Lloyd. Growing up, Lloyd had a closer relationship with the Brunels and the Sages rather than with Gil.

"But seriously, have you ever heard of someone or some gang that would only target academics? That doesn't seem to be a regular crime," Lloyd asked.

Gil leaned back on his chair. "To be honest, when I was still in the force, I did see my fair share of weird stuff. There were a couple of incidents where academics were targeted, but something as aggressive as what you saw today, probably not." Gil sighed as he looked at a picture on his desk. It was the one from his graduation from the police academy, with his late wife Anna and a one-year-old Lloyd present. "Look at me then, and look at me now."

Indeed, there was a stark difference in appearances. Police cadet Gil was clean-shaven, decked in his uniform, standing tall and proud with his neatly-combed dark brown hair hidden under his police cap. Today, Gil was rarely dressed formally, usually wearing an old leather jacket with jeans or dark dress pants. His hair was usually messy, but remained relatively flat rather than spiky like Lloyd's, and he even grew a goatee. But the biggest difference was that Cadet Gil wore his emotions in the open, doing his job and serving the public with pride. Today, Gil barely showed any emotion. Turning away from the picture, he faced Lloyd again. "But why the sudden interest in my old cases?" the former police officer asked his son.

Lloyd lifted his head up to look his father in the eye. "Nothing, it's just that knowing you were involved with the Special Investigations Unit on some cases, I wanted to know a bit more. By the way, weren't they the unit that investigated Mom's death?"

"Lloyd, it's been ten years already. Do you think I remember all the details of all my cases?" Gil retorted in a mock-annoyed tone.

But Lloyd persisted, so Gil decided to answer Lloyd's question. "To be honest, yes, I was indirectly involved in the case. It was my unit that collaborated with SIU to crack that case. But due to conflict of interest, I wasn't allowed to be completely involved and was only given the general findings of the case. I resigned from the force shortly after and didn't have any of the specific details," Gil took a deep breath, "Did that adequately answer your question?"

"But shouldn't you at least be allowed to access the details, even though you're a civilian?" Lloyd continued pressing, "I mean, this is the death of a family member, and at least we have the right to know. Besides, it's been ten years and I've never heard anything on how she died, other than the fact that it was a random act of violence and an individual act of homicide."

"Hey, I know you're upset by it, and don't think I'm not," Gil replied, "But to assume I know everything about it is lunacy."

"Alright, fine, I guess I shouldn't have been so persistent, and I'm sorry," Lloyd conceded, raising his hands, "but I just wanted to know a bit more about it. I care about her as well, even though I was probably too young to remember what it was really like when the police called us informing us of her death."

Gil gave Lloyd a sad look. He wanted to tell the truth to his son so badly, but it could very well jeopardize all the progress on the current project that he worked on. "All I can say on this issue is that your mother is considered to be the 'initial departure'."

Lloyd stared at his father with a bewildered expression. "The initial departure? What on earth does that mean?"

Gil struggled with his words, but tried to maintain his composure. "That's all I'm going to tell you. I wanted to say more, but I can't." Gil glanced up at the clock. "I got more stuff to deal with, so I can't talk for long. It's getting late, and you really should be getting to bed soon. Come on, go wash up."

Lloyd stepped into the bathroom still trying to make out what Gil exactly meant with the "initial departure". After washing up and brushing his teeth, he stripped down to his boxer briefs and folded his clothing. As he left to go back to his bedroom, he took a peek inside Gil's room, and saw his father on the phone. "Probably preoccupied with his work again," Lloyd murmured to himself.

Stepping into his room, he put his cloths away and flopped onto the bed. Staring a hole into the ceiling, the thought still disturbed him. "The initial departure," he whispered aloud. With that thought, he slowly drifted to sleep.

* * *

For those who couldn't envision Gil's goatee, think Kevin Richardson of the Backstreet Boys. Tell me what you think of the first chapter. Thank you and take care!


	3. Ruins a Concern to National Security?

**Keeper of Balance** gave the first and only review so far. In response to the question, Gil is supposed to resemble Billy Costigan from The Departed the most, but he also has shades of Dirk and Kratos in him. How you ask? Read and find out!

Namco owns Tales of Symphnoia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

It was months after the strange encounter at the university, and life pretty much returned to normal for the time being. But Lloyd was not expected to get out of trouble anytime soon, as another item crept up on him that may cause him to feel Gil's wrath: year-end report cards.

Squeezing his way out of the school office, Lloyd felt like a salmon swimming upstream. Trying to avoid all the other students retrieving their report cards, Lloyd made a beeline straight for the door and into the parking lot, where Colette was waiting patiently for him. "Let me guess, a straight-A average again?" Lloyd asked the blonde.

Colette grinned. "You know it," she replied, lifting the report card up to Lloyd's face. Lloyd just shook his head, knowing that his long-time friend blew him out of the water in academics again.

"While you're celebrating a near-perfect report card, I'm stuck with a C-average. Not exactly impressive, I know," Lloyd said, exasperated.

As he popped open the back of his MINI Cooper, Genis bounded up to them. Like Colette, he boasted an A-average as well, putting Lloyd in the company of two honour roll students. "Why can't learning by diffusion work in real life? If it does, Lloyd here won't be bringing home such lousy grades," Genis teased his friend.

Lloyd gave Genis a death glare that was enough to send chills up his spine. In an attempt to diffuse the conflict, Colette changed the topic. "So, what are you guys planning to do over the summer?" she asked.

Lloyd sighed. "Knowing how bad my marks are, my dad is probably going to retract his promise of letting me go on a road trip with you guys. He's probably going to make me study for next year so I can boost my marks up for college," he turned to his two friends, "What about you guys?"

"Raine said she had to go back onto the field with Dr. Brunel to continue some project that they started in Triet," Genis explained, "She offered to bring Grandma and me along, just to see what she's doing, but I'm not sure if Dr. Brunel said yes yet."

"Actually, my dad wouldn't mind inviting you guys," Colette replied, "He's pretty open about having me tag along, and I guess Raine has officially invited Genis. How about you, Lloyd? Do you want to tag along?"

"I doubt it. I don't think my dad is too impressed with my marks to let me out. Who knows what he'll say after seeing this report card?" Lloyd stated. He started up the car, and in one smooth motion, drove out of the parking lot.

Strangely, Gil was warm to the idea of letting Lloyd go to Triet with Frank and Raine. "Your report card clearly tells me that you're not learning enough, and the fact that conventional teaching techniques are not rubbing off on you is definitely an issue," he pointed out, "So to further stimulate your learning, we're going to Triet together, so that I can make sure you are at least half-aware of this stuff!"

"Just perfect," Lloyd groaned, "all I wanted was a relaxing vacation with my friends and you turn it into almost like a school field trip!"

"Hey, your brain has been on vacation for the last year and a half," Gil retorted as he picked up the phone to call Frank, "If you don't get it together you're not going to college any time soon. Good luck pursuing a career in anything at that time."

Lloyd sighed. It seemed like there was nothing stopping his father from going to the desert. Picking up his bag, he trudged up the stairs and into his room.

* * *

And so there they were, cruising down the highway in Gil's silver Audi V8, with nothing but sand dunes to both sides. Gil was behind the driver seat, eyes scanning back and forth on the road for the supposed site. Lloyd had the instructions scribbled on a small piece of paper, the map opened on his lap like a blanket, and an annoyed look on his face. It was unclear what irritated him more: the extreme heat, or the fact that Gil was present and cut short any chance of him "goofing off" on this trip. The best guess would probably be a combination of both.

Suddenly, Gil's focused turned to his right. "There's that strange looking mountain formation over there," he pointed out to Lloyd, "I believe the site should be somewhere near there?"

Lloyd took a glance at the paper he held. "According to Colette's instruction, yes," he replied, "Take the first range road and head straight to the end, then take a left. They have all their equipment set out in the open, so we can't miss it."

Gil took a sharp right turn and swerved the vehicle away from the highway and onto the unpaved, gravel road. The ride got bumpier and bumpier as they sped towards their destination. Lloyd felt like a pinball, bracing himself for the ride as the uneven surface caused objects in the car to be thrown around a bit. Seeing the site just ahead, Gil took a sharp left, almost spinning the car off the road. Just before it hit the university vehicles, Gil slammed the brakes and the Audi skidded to a halt right beside them.

When he finally found the courage to breathe again, Lloyd stared at his father with both annoyance and amazement. "How on earth did they ever let you pass your driving exam when you were back in the academy?" he asked.

"Unlike this situation, I drove on a paved road," Gil answered, turning off the engine, "Your vehicle is harder to control on uneven surfaces like that. All I can say is sorry for the bumpy ride, but you'll have to deal with it."

Lloyd rolled his eyes as he stepped out of the Audi to survey the scene. His eyes finally landed on Colette and Genis, who were gathered with Frank and Raine in the main equipment tent. He made a beeline for his friends while Gil calmly brought up the rear as he locked the doors of his vehicle.

"Lloyd, glad you could make it," Frank greeted the spiky-haired teen, "We were just about to locate the main entrance to these ruins. Come take a look." He waved Lloyd in so Lloyd could see the map.

From the images of the map and on the monitor, it could be seen that these were some sort of ancient ruins. Lloyd could see that they were quite elaborate, and probably involved some type of long lost technology. "We're pretty sure that this is some type of ancient temple, used by our ancestors in the so-called 'world regeneration' process," Lloyd could hear Frank explain, "We believe that a selected individual or group would enter these temples and be combined with the ancient energy source known as 'mana' in some way. But if the legend of the world's being separated and put together again were to be true, then one can also conclude that these temples are also the key holders or keepers of whatever that's holding the world together right now."

Gil stood a close distance away from the group, but still listened quietly. A bunch of things crossed his mind as Frank continued his explanation, but his train of thought was interrupted by an elderly voice. "Gil, is everything alright?"

The former police officer turned to his left and saw the source of the voice. "Yeah, everything's fine. I'm just in deep thought right now, Lynn," Gil responded to the grey-haired woman.

Lynn Sage was the grandmother of Genis and Raine, and had taken care of the two since they were young. Their mother died while giving birth to Genis, leaving their father to be a single parent. At that time, Lynn did not hesitate in offering her services to her son, being the main caretaker for Raine and baby Genis. Their father would also pass away a few years later, leaving Lynn to be the sole provider for the two half elves. This caused Genis and Raine to form an extremely tight bond with their grandmother, a bond that was still apparent today. "Well, judging from your facial expression, it's either you're very interested in this, or you're very confused by it," Lynn teased Gil.

Gil smiled. "You know, I've known you for decades, and your ability to see through others never ceases to amaze me," he commented. Lynn might be in her early-seventies, but friends and neighbours, and even Genis and Raine themselves, always insisted that she was healthier and sharper than even most people half her age.

"Anyway, we're planning to go check out the entrance, to see if we can find a way to get inside these ruins," Frank announced as some of his team picked up their equipment and headed towards the half-hidden temple. The blond archaeologist turned around and called, "Gil, Lynn, you guys coming with us?"

* * *

And so they trudged along the sand, their progress at around a snail's pace. But oddly enough, bringing up the anchor was Gil, as he was still struggling through even when everyone, including the elderly Lynn, reached their destination. "Is it just me, or is your dad really out of place today?" Colette asked Lloyd.

Indeed, Gil seemed like an anomaly to the group. Everyone wore short sleeves, some even wore shorts, and had relatively comfortable walking shoes on. But the former police officer had on a black leather jacket zipped all the way up to his chest, navy blue dress pants, and dark dress shoes. He hardly looked like he was prepared to go on an expedition like this. "What?" Gil asked as everybody gave him a strange look, "I thought we're here to look at the ruins, not at my outfit."

The group turned back to the ruins, and Frank dragged out the images on his maps. "According to the maps, we should be looking at the entrance right here," he waved his hand before him, "We're expecting some type of a mana mechanism that will allow the ancient peoples to enter the temple to be placed somewhere around this area. Try looking around to see if it's there," he ordered his team.

As Raine led the group to look around, Genis took the time to raise a question. "Is it true that there are certain elements that each temple represents?" he asked Frank.

"Yes, we've had some pretty good records of each temple and have located four in Sylvarant, and four more in Tethe'alla," Frank explained, "When we began the actual mapping of these temples last year, I have a colleague that is doing one representing the water element near Palmacosta. We believe this one here is of the fire elemental."

"And is there some special purpose for these temples other than putting the world together?" Lynn questioned.

"Other than the fact that they held the mana which was used to put the world back together, we don't know," Frank replied, "We believe the insides of the temples may tell us a bit more about these objectives."

Again, Gil furrowed his brow and went into deep thought. Something about the mana flow, and mana control, and how the world was pieced together did not seem right to him. "If the world's mana flow would be interrupted, and these temples hold the key to the mana sources…" he murmured to himself.

Beside him, Lynn could not help but chuckle at the scene. "You know, right now Gil's thinking harder than your wife when you tell her about archaeology," she told Frank. Frank's wife and Colette's mother Phoebe worked in a hospital, and unfortunately she could not free up her schedule to join them on this trip.

"I never knew Gil was interested in archaeology and history," Frank commented.

Lloyd turned around from his conversation with Colette to face Frank. "He's only here to make sure that I 'learn this stuff', if you know what I mean," he stated, signalling quotation marks with his fingers.

"Just don't let Raine hear you say that," Genis retorted, "If anything, she'd be insulted if you told her that this stuff wasn't important."

Both the conversation and Gil's train of thought were abruptly snapped. "We found something, it might be the entrance," she shouted from across the ruins.

The group hurried along to her location; everyone except for Gil, who was still having trouble moving through the sand in his dress shoes. Indeed, positioned before Raine was a pedestal of some sort. It was covered with a lot of dust and sand, a result of centuries of being left unattended in the uncompromising desert conditions. Using a brush, Raine gently removed some of the sand covering the top, revealing an interesting emblem. Beside her, a research assistant quickly snapped photographs.

Frank handed his map off to Colette, moving up to the pedestal and scribbled some observations down onto a notepad. "I think this might be that mana mechanism that was mentioned earlier," Colette stated, "The oracle stone, right?"

Another research assistant approached with a strange device, scanning the area with it and trying to establish readings. "This machine here allows us to detect for mana and whether it's at a level that can harm us," Frank explained, "Although the human use of mana is relatively minimal today, their natural sources are present and can be traced pretty effectively. Too much mana can lead to instability of the surrounding environment, which could lead to major destruction, so we want to make sure levels are relatively low or in a stable enough state so that we can enter without getting harmed."

"But isn't it also true that there are people in the past that can control mana just within their bodies?" Lloyd asked.

"Most of them have to use this thing called an exsphere, which hasn't existed since the reunification of the world," Raine explained, "although I've heard that people with elfish blood in them have the potential to control mana. It means Genis and I can both do it, but we have absolutely no experience with these matters."

"Darn, and I wanted Genis to put up some mana fireworks," Lloyd muttered.

Genis was about to retort when the research assistant with the mana gauge spoke. "It's all clear, Dr. Brunel," he announced, "there is a source of mana, but it seems to be relatively stable. As long as nobody does anything crazy, we should be fine going in."

Frank thanked the assistant and whipped out a flashlight from his back pocket. "Ladies and gentlemen, prepare to enter a world not seen by anyone for centuries," he announced in a mock-dramatic voice. With that, he moved past the oracle stone and slowly climbed down the stairs of the temple.

Raine was the next to go in, enthusiastically stepping through and around the sand swept into the entrance and moved into the temple. The group apprehensively followed, tiptoeing and feeling their way into the dark, letting their eyes adjust to the interior. There was definitely a cool, damp feeling as the group felt the temperature drop as they entered further. Some people even rubbed their forearms and hands to gain more heat, all that despite being out in the scorching desert just moments ago.

Everyone, that is, except for Gilbert Irving. Dressed in his jacket and dress pants, he was almost immune to the temperature drop. "I knew there was a reason why I dressed up like this," he pointed out, nodding his head, "It's to be prepared for entering the dark, ancient ruins. And some people said I looked out of place…"

Thanks to the darkness, Gil could not make out an annoyed look from his son. "Great, now my dad has become a complete smart-aleck," Lloyd groaned, "What's next? He becomes a stand-up comedian?"

Unfortunately for Lloyd, glaring at his father meant he wasn't watching where he was going, and that was usually a bad idea in a dark temple like this one. He collided with Colette, who fell forward and hit Raine. The two humans and the silver-haired half-elf sprawled onto the ground, with Raine's flashlight rolling a few metres forward.

Now it was Lloyd who was thankful for the darkness, otherwise he would have caught Raine's death glare. "Lloyd, care to be a bit more serious here? This is a very important part of history and your antics aren't helping us understand it better." Raine snapped. Lloyd could do nothing but stare at the ground and rub the back of his neck.

"Hey guys, come here and check this out," Frank called from further inside the temple. Picking herself up from the ground, Raine hurried to the end of what seemed to be a long corridor. The group could hear a few more research assistants file past them, heading to Frank's position. Lloyd and Colette also raced towards the voices once they managed to untangle themselves from the fall, while Genis guided his grandmother forward like a boy scout helping a senior across the street. And, as usual for today, Gil brought up the rear.

"This seems to be some type of ancient script," Raine could be heard saying, "I am willing to bet this has something to do with those ancient stories we hear about the 'chosen' group. Can anybody get a snapshot of this?"

A research assistant pulled out a camera as Raine repositioned her flashlight to get as much of the words in the light as possible. "Is somebody from the past trying to tell us something?" Genis asked, "I mean, knowing this is sacred ground to most pilgrims, these things could be of great importance to us here."

"And they are," Frank answered, "it is believed that the pilgrims will come here to offer their prayers and do the activities needed for the chosen to prepare for the world regeneration. But the story also goes that ever since it was found out that the entire journey was pretty much bogus, the world reunification crew went in and awakened the 'summon spirits', which are in charge of keeping the worlds separate. They reordered the mana structure to put the worlds back together." Frank waved to the crew to continue moving inward, "But the exact details of these events are pretty much lost, so any primary sources on them are very rare."

"Actually, I recall a couple of research libraries in Sybak, Tethe'alla may have something on that," Raine pointed out, "The story goes that the summon spirits, along with something called the Eternal Sword, were used to ultimately rearrange the mana in the world. They ended up being the source of growth for the Giant Kharlan Tree, which the reunification group depended on to reunify the world." Raine cocked her head. "Oddly enough, there aren't too many stories after that, as I didn't recall seeing much detail on what happened to the summon spirits, and the temples were pretty much abandoned."

"Don't forget that mana isn't really used as much anymore, knowing how they could be unstable and be harmful to our health," Frank added, "But all we can say about Raine's part of the story is that none of these things are based on evidence. We've never had actual proof that summon spirits existed, or their mana source were now in charge of keeping the world together. Until we see the cold, hard truth, all of the above could only be considered as a hypothesis."

A research assistant came up to Frank and Raine leading them even further into the temple. It left Lloyd, Colette, Genis, Lynn and Gil still in the area, pondering the last chunk of information heaped upon them. "Wow, pretty sobering thought, considering how much we still don't know about our history," Lynn commented.

"Man, all this stuff only made it more confusing," Lloyd whined, "Now my head hurts more than ever."

Everybody gave a laugh as they continued offering their thoughts on the new ideas, but Gil's attention seemed to be diverted elsewhere. Using a small light from his cell phone, he tried to decipher the message on the walls. Closing his eyes, he began to mumble to himself, and tried to piece them together with the information Frank and Raine just gave. Some of this were starting to make sense to him, and was becoming quite useful information as well.

"I think we should go in further to see my dad map the rest of this area," Colette suggested, "should we get going?"

Everyone turned to the former police officer, still standing in his place, frozen like a statue. Lloyd put a hand on Gil's shoulder and gave him a gentle shake. "Hey Dad, we want to keep moving. You coming along?"

Gil mumbled to himself for another few seconds, but finally opened his eyes and faced his son. "Sure, let's see as much as we can before we have to go. We still have to go into town to find our hotel, and I'm hoping to get there before dark."

* * *

By the time they reached their hotel in Triet, it was already nightfall. Lloyd took some of the luggage out of the trunk while Gil went to check in. When they reached their room, Lloyd plopped onto the bed, tired from all the day's activities, while Gil turned to unpack some of their belongings. Genis and Lynn happened to have the room right next to theirs, while Colette and Raines chose to stay at the campsite near the ruins with Frank.

"So we find out that the ruins are indeed an ancient temple, mana still flows somewhat within that area, and there may be connections towards the so-called world reunification process," Lloyd listed them off one after the other, "Who thought digging in the sand could get you so much information?" he said, shaking his head.

"Well, at least you learned something from this, right?" Gil countered, throwing some of Lloyd's clothes onto the bed, "It's better than having you doze off in class all the time. I suggest you go get washed up, since Lynn may be taking us out the dinner later on tonight. We've both been in the desert all day, so it's best to change clothes."

Heeding his father's advice, Lloyd grabbed his new change of clothes and underwear, and headed into the bathroom. Once the door was locked, Gil pulled out his own change of clothes, and placed them on his bed. In addition, he stepped up to the phone and dialled a number back in Iselia. After waiting a while, the other line finally picked up, and Gil made his request. "May I speak with the captain of the SIU, please?"

"I'm sorry, but the captain seems to be in a meeting right now," the secretary replied from the other end, "May I take a message?"

"Then please forward me to the chief of police," Gil requested, "Tell him it's a situation involving a special investigation. He'll know who I am and what to expect." With that, Gil waited for the call to be transferred.

In the bathroom, Lloyd finished his shower and was brushing off the sand sticking onto his old clothes. He folded his old clothes and put them to the corner before turning to his new change of clothes. Sorting them out, he realized he did not bring in a new pair of socks. "Well, better get them while I still remember," Lloyd muttered to himself. Wrapping a towel on his waist, he opened the door to head to his suitcase.

"If all this stuff is indeed true, and they have access to technology that can control it, we can be facing a disaster here. I told you before that it can be a situation of national security, and today's findings only confirm it harder, so why won't you act?" Gil shouted into the phone. At this time, he turned around, only to see Lloyd standing near his bag, wearing only a towel, and giving him a strange look. Turning back to the phone, Gil tried to cut his conversation short. "Look, all I can say is that we have to keep an eye open for that possibility, and I trust that you'll take care of it, alright. I've got to go."

Hanging up the phone, he turned to Lloyd, who now retrieved his much-needed pair of socks from his bag. But that did not deter the spiky-haired teen from suspecting and questioning his father. "Dad, who exactly were you talking to on the phone?"

Gil looked up at his son, fearing that he might have known too much. So, trying to remain calm, he downplayed the situation. "Nothing, no one important," he replied, "It was just a friend that I work with. He wants to know about Triet, and since I'm spending the weekend here, he's just asking what it's like."

Lloyd cocked at eyebrow. "Really? I thought you said something about a national security threat or something like that. But then again, the bathroom ventilation fan was still on, so I couldn't hear properly. But why would an archaeological ruin like that be a security threat?" he asked, pulling on the towel wrapped around his waist.

Seeing an opportunity for a way out, Gil spun up a new story. "Well, knowing that this could be presented to the public sometime soon, it could become a possible tourist attraction in the future. That may be a security threat in the manner that some terrorist could attack an area with many tourists, causing a lot of damage to both the site and loss of lives," Gil answered smoothly, "I may have quit the police force ten years ago, but I still have police mentality, so potential security threats are always important to me," he concluded, tapping his temple.

Lloyd nodded, seeming to understand the situation. Taking his clothes out from the bathroom, he left it vacant for his father to use. Gil did not hesitate in taking his turn on the bathroom, picking up his clothes and going in without another word.

Dinner with Lynn and Genis was unusual, considering the awkward conversation that Lloyd had with Gil. Lloyd did not feel too comfortable speaking on any topic with the Sages, as he still wondered why the ruins would pose a threat. Part of Lloyd wanted to question his father further, as he wanted to know why the issue of national security would pop up during a regular weekend like this. Yet Lloyd had no ready argument against his father, knowing his background as a former police officer and probably knew what he was talking about.

Sighing, he tried to turn his focus back onto the table, where Genis and Lynn were having a good laugh at one of Gil's stories at work. "And that's the main risk of working in a PR consulting firm," Gil said, holding back laughter, "You never know when you'll have to use impolite language to your client when you teach them to use polite language."

"Well, I'm glad to see you having quite a career at this," Lynn said through her chuckles, "It's been what? Ten years?"

Gil nodded. "Yeah, ten years after my experience as a police officer, and yet even in my new job I find myself referring to skills from my former job," Gil has always told everyone that he was hired by a consulting firm that worked on public relations, but yet he rarely told anyone the specifics involving his job. Even hearing this story today, Lloyd was quite surprised, but seeing how Lynn and Genis were so happy, he did not press.

"So, tomorrow we're supposed to head back to the site?" Gil asked, "What else does Frank expect to be looking for? I mean, he mapped out the area pretty well,"

"Well, it has been rumoured that summon spirits exist, and were supposed to be found inside those temples," Lynn explained, "back then, only a summoner had the power to command these powerful incarnations of mana. But since the world has now been reunified, it was unlikely that they served any real purpose. Still, Frank seems pretty persistent in getting to the bottom of that idea, so I'm sure he'll keep digging inward."

"Wow, wouldn't it be cool to see one of them in real life?" Genis asked Lloyd.

Lloyd smiled and nodded. Somehow, his original idea that the trip would be boring was thrown out the window like an old rag doll. The coming days just kept on getting more and more exciting.

* * *

And there they were, back in the dark temple again, this time exploring the innermost part. "This is rumoured to be the location of the so-called 'summon spirit' Efreet," Frank explained, "Efreet is supposed to be the element of fire, and that affects the climate of the region, making it pretty much a desert or the story goes."

A research assistant scanned the area with the mana monitor again, and this time the scanner was sounding off continuously. "Dr. Brunel, I think we may have hit pay dirt," he reported, "whatever that's in here is giving off a lot of mana, and it's definitely not very stable. We should be careful not to create any disturbances."

Frank nodded. "Can everybody come closer to the centre of the room, please?" he suggested, "That way we're all relatively balanced and won't cause more instability."

Heeding the advice, everybody began shuffling towards the centre. Lloyd and Colette were among the last to move, coming in from the far front wall. But as they made their move, Colette tripped and fell. She ended up colliding with Lloyd, who was right beside her, and he ended up hitting another strange looking pedestal. Lloyd's stomach sank as a sickening groan came from the pedestal, but fortunately, it stayed intact.

Lloyd's relief would only last a few seconds, as a strange rumbling was then heard throughout the large chamber when he helped Colette up. Strange lights flashed before them, and a large, bright, odd looking creature had materialized. "Colette, you remember your dad talking about a summon spirit? I think we have a live one."


	4. Night Time Operation

**Dawnstarshine **and **I.K.A. Valian** provided the reviews this time. To address the concerns of both people, I want to say that yes, there will be some confusion for the next little while, because this is where the two storylines start to combine with one another. I've got heavier focus on the TOS storyline so far, but elements of The Departed are going to show up, starting with this chapter.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scrosese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

"I think we have a live one," Lloyd said apprehensively as he stared forward. Indeed, a large, bright creature materialized before him. Words could not describe the actual physical appearance, as the creature seemed to be part dragon, part fire demon, and even part genie, as its tail was smoke-like. But to everyone in the temple, one thing was for sure: this thing was fearsome.

Nobody dared to speak or make a move as the fierce creature surveyed the scene. It was obvious that the creature was annoyed at the team disturbing its surroundings, or was it mana flow? Either way, it was extremely unwise for the group to remain in the chamber any further. "Everyone, start backing down slowly, and head for the door," Frank whispered, "No sudden moves, no weird gestures, just slowly back down."

The team was slow to heed Frank's orders at first, with some members jotting down notes and making observations. But they slowly inched backwards for the door when Frank began tugging on shirts and jackets. Some team members, as well as Gil and Raine, whipped out their cell phones and snapped some pictures. Genis, who did not have his own phone yet, took a shot using Lynn's phone. "Guys, hurry please? This may be great for the project, but it's no longer safe for us to be here," Frank whispered harshly, noticing that the creature was perhaps becoming more and more agitated.

Lloyd and Colette were still positioned at the front, and although they were aware of the danger, they refused to leave empty-handed. Signalling Colette to hand him her phone, he aimed both their phones at the creature to snap a photo. Once finished, he gave Colette's phone back to her, and tried to make an escape as he attempted to shove his phone back into his pocket.

Unfortunately for Lloyd, he pressed the option of selecting ring tone volume as he tried to put his phone away. That caused the ring tone to rise to maximum volume, and blared throughout the chamber. It also seemed to be the last straw for the creature, as it sounded off with a deafening roar and fired a strange beam at the group. Sensing the danger, Lloyd grabbed Colette and hit the floor hard. The powerful beam scorched across the room above them, heating up the chamber.

Soon, the entire room felt like a large oven as the creature continued spewing off flames and smoke, clearly annoyed by the disturbances, or more precisely, the ring tone. "Come on, Lloyd! Get on your feet, let's move!" Frank shouted from the exit.

Either in fear of being scorched or just downright intimidated by the large creature, Lloyd and Colette remained relatively frozen on the ground, as if their feet were nailed to the floor. They could see the people at the exit shouting and waving at them to move forward, but it all seemed so far away compared to the monster literally breathing down their backs.

In a desperate move, Gil charged into the fray. "Hey!" he yelled, waving his hands at the creature. Distracting it from Lloyd and Colette, Gil stepped back into the room, taking a position a few metres right of the door.

The creature glared at the former police officer, and within seconds, sent another beam of flames in Gil's direction. Thankfully, Gil still had some skills from his police training, as he managed to dodge that with relative ease. "Lloyd, Colette," he called, "get out of here, now!"

Finally snapping to their senses, the two teens hurried to the exit, their backs still hunched over to avoid the flames as the monster fired another shot towards Gil. This time, he dove back the other way, towards the exit just as Lloyd and Colette left. "Go! Go go go!" he shouted, "Everybody out of the temple!"

The team rushed through the narrow corridors, charging out of the dark temple into the bright daylight. The ancient ruins rumbled, shaking the ground like an earthquake from the instable mana being shot out from the innermost chamber. Had the research assistant with the mana detector paid attention to the readings, he would notice that they were beyond readable levels.

Finally, Gil and his friends managed to escape the catastrophe. Raine got out from first, then turned around and helped Genis take Lynn up the stairs. Coming out right after the two half elves and the elderly woman were Frank and Colette, with Lloyd and Gil bringing up the rear. They ran a few more metres, and then finally collapsed into the sand, breathing heavily from all the running and the fear. "Everybody alright?" Gil asked.

There were a few nods, but a lot of moaning and groaning as everybody tried to recover from that episode. "What on earth was that thing?" Lloyd asked.

"A fire demon would be a good guess," Genis replied, "But you'll have to ask the experts for a confirmation." He pointed to Raine and Frank.

The professor and the half-elf were in the middle of a serious discussion as they contemplated on their next move. "I'm pretty sure everyone had some pictures of that thing taken with their cell phones," Frank pointed out, "So if you can get their photos and I can look around for old notes and research we may be able to identify it."

Nodding, Raine went into the tent to retrieve her laptop while Frank addressed the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, for the purposes of trying to identify that creature and find out what just really happened, I would ask that all of you who took a picture of the creature to please hand me your phones or cameras for the time being."

There was some mumbling and shuffling as people began retrieving their phones. Raine returned with the now ready computer and downloaded the images into the drive. "Don't worry, you'll still get your pictures back intact," she assured the crowd.

Among the last people to have the pictures downloaded were Lloyd and Gil. "So how will you identify this creature?" Lloyd asked, "I mean, it's not like you have some type of a profile set up for something like that."

"To be honest, we don't have too many clues as to what this creature possibly is," Raine replied, "It could be the summon spirit that was rumoured to be here, it could be a manifestation of mana taking a more powerful form, or it could be as Genis said: a fire demon. That's why we need these pictures to have proof that we observed this and can verify it with peer-refereed sources. Coincidentally, the summon spirit rumoured to live here does exist in the form of a fire demon, so Genis' point may very well be valid."

"Not to mention that it would be in the interests of the public to get truly verified conclusions rather than a speculation," Frank added, "so to be absolutely sure, we must confirm this observation before reporting it to the public."

Raine handed the phones back to Lloyd and Gil. "We should have something set up by tonight, and should have these sources verified by next week, if everything runs smoothly," Raine reported, "I assume you won't be staying around the site until then?"

"We've had enough excitement for the weekend," Lynn told her granddaughter, "So we're spending the night and Triet, and then go back to Iselia tomorrow."

"What? You can't be serious!" Lloyd shouted, "Just when it's the most exciting part, and you're taking us back home? No fair!"

Gil crossed his arms. "Lloyd, you barely got out alive back there, and I don't think anyone of us are willing to risk life and limb just to see that thing again," Gil then turned to Frank, "do you want us to take Colette back as well?"

* * *

A week later, Frank was finally prepared to announce the findings to the press. "We believe that the disturbances from a week ago at the Triet ruins are a clue from the ancient past," Frank announced during a press conference at the University of Iselia, "the area was saturated with mana and there were enough clues given from the entrance for us to deduce that this was a temple used by our ancestors in certain rituals."

"Dr. Brunel, what important historical events would such a discovery show?" a female reporter in the front row asked.

"Mana instability also suggest that this may be an area that was important in the reunification of the world, and with the claim that this was once a possible resting place for the summon spirits of the ancient legends, today's clues may lead to even stronger indication that such powerful mana manifestations may have existed." Frank answered.

"Has there been evidence that other so-called 'summon spirits' may have existed elsewhere in Sylvarant?" another reporter in the front questioned.

"Well, to date there have been four of these temples identified in Sylvarant, and at least one has been known and studied for some time," Frank explained, "But as for the actual existence of a summon spirit actually being shown, I don't recall seeing any info on that in recent times."

A reporter from the back raised his hand. "If your discovery was a summon spirit, and it was related to the reunification story in some way, then what possible links can we draw in understanding the make-up of the world?"

Frank nodded. "It's not a strong link right now, as there is still speculation on what this is really about," he replied, "But from this study alone, we can conclude that the mana here somewhat links to the mana that keeps the world together, and this summon spirit, the fire elemental Efreet, is one of many that may be keeping the world together. What's more shocking is that due to the instability, it is likely that any disturbances can cause major disasters to occur. It can also mean that if the mana can be stabilized, it will be a huge source of energy, something that can greatly affect the world."

Meanwhile, in the Irving home, the living room television was tuned into the local news channel that broadcasted the press conference. Lloyd, Colette and Genis listened eagerly as Frank continued to unravel and present the mysteries of the Triet ruins to the public. "So, what's the next move for your dad?" Lloyd asked.

"He plans to compare results of this project with other researchers in the country that may have done something like this," Colette explained, "One place that I heard him mention was Palmacosta, since they have researchers that studied the Thoda Geyser, which was home to another one of these temples."

"Thoda Geyser? Isn't that a major tourist attraction? How are they going to study the temple in peace with all those tourists wandering around?" Genis asked.

"The temple isn't actually at the geyser site," Colette explained, "it's in a cave-like area behind the geyser. In the past there was no available road for getting into there, but now they've carved one out that leads you in from the back, or so my dad told me."

Genis nodded before he turned to Lloyd. "I'm surprised your dad isn't down here watching this," he said to the spiky-haired teen, "Earlier at the site he was really interested, but now it seemed like he just disappeared."

Lloyd shrugged. "He told me he had to speak with some of his co-workers, so he's on the phone upstairs in his room. He just can't seem to take his mind off work."

Indeed, upstairs in the main bedroom, Gil was immersed in a rather intense phone conversation. "Look, the discoveries themselves are more than evident in showing what a risk this could be, so are you going to believe me now, captain?" he shouted.

"Alright, I'll raise the issue with the chief, and we'll see if we can get the military involved in this," the speaker on the other side assured Gil, "By the way, any news on whether your group plans to take action on the ruins?"

"No info on their plans on the ruins yet, but I'm pretty sure they know about them. It seems to be that they're more intent on attacking the main source rather than choking the supply down," Gil replied, "I'm not sure what may happen if the source is attacked even if the ruins' mana are contained or stabilized, but I'm pretty sure it'll still be a disaster nonetheless."

"And is there any confirmation on when the next operation will take place?" the captain asked, "last time you gave us any info on that, it was before you went to Triet."

"It's still slated to be next week," Gil answered, "but I'm meeting with them again tomorrow, so I'll be absolutely sure by then." At this time, Gil heard the door bell rang, "I got to go, so I'll talk to you another time." With that, he hung up the phone and raced down the stairs.

It was Phoebe, Colette's mother, getting off from work at the hospital and offering to take her home. "I assume you'll drop Genis off at his house as well?" Lloyd asked as Gil stepped up to the door.

"Yes, I phone Lynn just a few minutes ago and told her to go straight home," Phoebe explained, "I will drop Genis off before taking Colette home."

"Hey Phoebe, if you don't mind me asking," Gil began, "Has Frank said anything about his next move in studying the ruins?"

"Frank did mention something about Palmacosta to me," Phoebe recalled, "he told me about a colleague there who started this project with him when they were still in grad school. He said the colleague is currently supervising a grad student who is studying some ruins similar to the Triet one. He was pretty excited about it, saying how he worked with this colleague in the past, and that the colleague was someone that he trusted."

"Dad did mention wanting to compare the two ruins, so I guess he'll have something like that planned," Colette chimed in.

The former police officer nodded, furrowing his brow and slipping into deep though again. Beside him, Lloyd and Genis snickered. "Told you that your dad couldn't keep his mind off this stuff," Genis stated to Lloyd.

"And it looks like he'll be slipping into La-La-Land again," Lloyd observed. Closing the door, he turned to see his father still standing there in a thinking pose, solid as a statue. "Hey, great thinker, why don't we go start dinner and not worry about ancient ruins?" With that, he grabbed Gil's elbow and literally dragged his father into the kitchen.

Dinner was rather dull and boring, as no interesting topics popped up between father and son. But just as they tended to the dishes, Gil opened a topic that would catch his son by surprise. "So, earlier in the year, I promised you that I'd let you go on a road trip with Colette and Genis. Are you still planning to go for it?"

Lloyd stared at his father like he grew an extra limb. "Are you serious? I thought you totally forgot about it," Lloyd exclaimed, "Knowing how bad my marks were, I doubt you'd let me go anyway."

"Now why would I do that?" Gil countered, "I mean, you've shown me on this last trip to Triet that you're interested in this stuff. Knowing that most of these sites and areas of interest are going to be on the road, it's only right that I let you go to see more of this stuff firsthand."

"So it's not a real vacation then?" Lloyd challenged, "Smooth Dad, real smooth, way to use weasel words in your sentence."

"So do you want to go or not?" Gil retorted.

* * *

A week later, the road trip was to be commenced, as Lloyd took his luggage and stuffed it into the back of his MINI Cooper. "Just make sure you get ready by the time I reach your house, Genis," he said into his cell phone, "I'm going to be there right after I picked up Colette. We want to get to Izoold by evening and onto the ferry to Palmacosta by tomorrow." Hanging up, he turned back to Gil, who stood at the garage door, "I'm surprised the Brunels and Mrs. Sage let Colette and Genis go on this trip despite all the talk about it being cancelled."

Gil shrugged. "Knowing that Frank and Raine would be in Palmacosta and Asgard studying those ruins, I guess they didn't find it to be too big of an issue." Frank and Raine did eventually contact the researcher from Palmacosta and would compare their research with regards to the Triet ruins. Going there by plane, they already took off last night, "With them nearby, Phoebe and Lynn have a fair amount of security knowing that there are people to turn to for help if you guys needed it."

Lloyd nodded. "When you get into Izoold, remember to give me a call, alright?" Gil reminded his son as Lloyd hopped into his vehicle. With a roar of the engine, Lloyd pulled out of the driveway, and sped off on his trip.

Seeing Lloyd off, Gil stepped back into the house and picked up the phone. Calmly, he dialled in the number for the Iselia Police Department, and requested for an extension to the Office of the Chief. "Chief Marshall, I have some stuff I want to give you, it's with regards to tonight's operation," Gil explained, "I'll give this to you during your lunch break. Where will you be?"

Gil jotted down the address of the meeting location as proposed by the chief. "I will see you just after noon then," he confirmed, and hung up the phone. Stepping into the bathroom, he changed into a new set of clothes, and gave his goatee a slight trim, all the while considering the options for the operation that night.

By noon, he had the documents all prepared and put into a manila envelope. Cruising through Iselia in his Audi V8, he glanced around the buildings to locate his destination. Suddenly, he received a call as he was stopped at a red light. "I am just across the street from you, Gil," the chief informed him.

Gil turned to his left and saw Chief Marshall's vehicle parked just outside a restaurant, with the chief standing at the entrance waving. Making a U-turn, Gil pulled his car up to the sidewalk, turning off the engine, and the chief promptly stepped in. Handing over the envelope, Gil gave Chief Marshall the wanted information. "Inside is the location and area of the exchange tonight," he explained, "I had it pretty well mapped out, so I hope the captain can use it to his advantage."

"Not captain, but captains," the chief replied, "SIU and Major Crimes, the unit you used to work in, are teaming up for this operation. They've been planning for this ever since you told us what the plans are last week. I've been serving as the messenger between you guys, since they're usually in meetings and can't make it out."

Gil said nothing as Chief Marshall continued flipping through the multiple pages of notes and figures he received. "So they're not going after the ruins, but the main source instead," he muttered, "I assume some of the stuff to be received tonight will help them take out the main source?"

"To be honest, they've been pretty secretive with us," Gil replied, "I'm guessing they want to see the goods before telling us what they want to do with them."

Chief Marshall nodded, putting the papers back into the envelope. "Once again, many thanks for keeping us up to date on this. We're making some major breakthroughs on the case, and it won't be long before we can crack them down completely."

Gil rolled his eyes. "You guys are such broken records. If I get a dollar for every time that line has been used on me, I'd be rich," he sighed, "I've been in this for ten years, and I'm starting to get tired of this. I want to live a day where I can stop lying to my son, my friends, and most importantly, myself. Every time you guys say that line to me, I keep asking myself when you guys will actually get it done."

"Hey, relax," the chief assured Gil, "we have everything we need to take these guys out. We have location, we have a motive, and lastly, we have a target."

* * *

"Forcystus, our main target, the leader of the Iselia branch of the nationwide extremist group known as Cruxis," the captain of Major Crimes announced, "We believe that he has been planning on some large scale attack on certain areas of the country, and have been doing illegal activities such as smuggling certain pieces of technology and even weapons and narcotics between the two nations. Our mole, which is also a member of my unit, has informed us of the location and area of tonight's operation. This is thanks to a bunch of very specific and detailed notes and figures that he gave to Chief Marshall. As for the specific orders for tonight, I'll hand it over to Captain Burton of SIU."

Burton thanked his counterpart, and took the floor. "Cruxis is expected to make the drop in the easternmost warehouse in this storage yard, so we'll position ourselves to the west," he described, pointing to the map with a laser pointer, "We'll make sure that the routes along the warehouses are clear so that is easier for us to manoeuvre around, if necessary. Our chase vehicles will be parked right outside, and the drivers will be ready should they change the location of the drop. As well, we will have multiple pairs of eyes on the scene, as our plain clothes officers will pose as staff of the yard and be around and about. Does anyone have any questions?"

Seeing nobody raise their hands, Burton turned off the overhead projector. "In that case, let's get moving," he ordered. With that, the officers got up and shuffled out.

Cruxis and the police arrived at the storage yard at around the same time, albeit at different entrances. As the vehicles screeched to a halt, a tall, green-haired man stepped out of the main car. It was Forcystus, the leader of Iselia's branch of Cruxis and the police's main target. He was an imposing figure, with a well-built frame and a face that could strike fear into the hearts of those against him without difficulty. "Everybody get into the warehouse. I will give you further instructions as to how the exchange will go," he ordered his men, "Is Gil Irving here yet? Someone give him a call and tell him to get down here at once."

"No need to shout, I'm right here," Forcystus turned around to see Gil calmly coming up to them, "I had to take a call from my son, he's currently on a road trip and he just arrived in Izoold," Gil explained.

"Cut the chitchat. When I get the call, take a few of these guys and go pick up the goods," Forcystus instructed, "The money will be in those suitcases that we're taking inside right now, so just make sure to grab those when you go." With that, he turned on his heels and strode into the warehouse, with Gil and a few others following closely.

While Cruxis members set up their station, the police were busy preparing on the other side as well. The two captains had everyone bring their cell phones and pagers out, and put them on a large table in the middle of the warehouse. "No matter what happens, nobody is to pick up their phones," the captain of major crimes warned, "This would give away our location and be a disadvantage to our operation."

One officer was slow to give up her cell phone. "May I please make a final call? I promised my parents I'd have dinner with them tonight. Can I just tell them I can't make it tonight?" she requested.

The captains looked at each other, but figured that there could not be any harm done, so they allowed it. Happily, the officer stepped out and dialled a number. "Hi Dad, I can't come for dinner tonight. I got something to do on the west side of town."

Unknown to the police, it was Forcystus on the other line. "No worries," he replied, "we'll just make rearrangements for another time." With that, he slapped his phone shut. "Cops are to the west of us," he murmured to himself, "Better let the delivery guys know so they can avoid them." He returned to his phone and dialled another number to inform the delivering crew to stay in their positions. "Just deliver the prototype in and we'll go to your place," he requested, "And when you enter come in from the east side."

The officer hung up the phone, and handed it over to Captain Burton as she returned to her position. "Why is she so nervous? Is she a rookie?" the captain of the Major Crimes Unit asked, "I recalled seeing her before in past operations."

"She's been on the force for two years, and is becoming one of the premier communications experts in our unit," Burton replied, "I guess she's not used to the larger operations like these, especially when she's asked to be in charge of pretty much all our coordination this time. But I have faith in her. She knows what she's doing."

Burton's colleague nodded, and as Burton began to give orders to his team, the captain of major crimes unit slipped on an unusual headset and plugged in some wires. Standing in a back corner, he typed in a number, and patiently waited for a response.

* * *

On the other side, Gil's cell phone rang, and seeing the caller ID knew he had to be careful. Taking a deep breath, he calmly picked up the call. "Hello?" he said quietly.

A few Cruxis members turned to look at Gil and he tried to make his conversation discrete. Fortunately, Forcystus was not one of them. "Yes, so you've reached the hotel room, Lloyd," Gil continued, turning his back.

"I'm on the headset right now, you can communicate with me more freely," the captain quietly replied, "What's the situation? What's their next move?"

"So your hotel is located on the east side of town? And you drove a long way to get there? That's interesting," Gil continued to spin his tale. Looking up, he could see Forcystus getting up and barking out some orders, "I got to go, connection on cell phones isn't really great here. Maybe try and contact me another way."

"We'll do that new device you tried last time. You know, the one you called the 'secret weapon'?" With that, the captain ended the call. Gil also slapped his phone shut and shoved it back into his pocket. Moving to a window, he reached outside the bars, where he hid a small microphone attached to an antennae. Knowing that his captain had the headset, Gil could communicate with him using the device that he dubbed "secret weapon" in their last case. Turning it on, he tapped a couple of lines to test the receiver. When he heard a couple of lines in return, he smiled, knowing that the plan was on.

"Gil," Forcystus called from across the room, "take a few guys with you to get the prototype. It should be arriving in a few minutes." Nodding to the green-haired half-elf, Gil waved his hand at a few people standing near the doorway, and together left for the east side entrance. As he exited, he could hear Forcystus giving out more instructions.

At the police camp, the captain of Major Crimes passed on Gil's info to his SIU counterpart, who then went to the radio controllers. "Tell our guys the prototype is to arrive at the east entrance," he called, "Bring their vans to that side, but stay out of sight from the Cruxis vehicles. When they drive off to get the main goods, start the chase."

Wheeling back to the female officer who was the expert in communications, Burton requested for a random electronic search for nearby cell phones. "Assuming ours are accounted for, and Forcystus has his phone on, we should be able to search for the delivery group. If we can track them for the next little while, we can the direction they may be headed to, and give our chase vans an advantage," he explained.

Carrying out the command, the officer began typing through a bunch of programs, all the while noticing that she had no chance to contact the Cruxis leader for the short term. Her right hand scrolled the touchpad to get to correct location while she rested her left hand on the desk. Accidentally, she brushed a laptop internet connection card, knocking it to the floor. As Captain Burton moved to pick it up, she suddenly had an idea.

* * *

"Well? What's your call?" Forcystus asked his technology experts, who were over the prototype like a surgeon operating on a patient. As usual, Gil stepped back from the fray, staying close to the window with one hand holding the bars.

The half-elves looked up at their leader. "It's good enough to be put into our design," they answered. Satisfied, Forcystus turned to his phone and dialled for their drivers to pick it up. Gil also turned, and quickly tapped a message into the mike.

As Forcystus snapped his phone shut, a bunch of half-elves trotted out the door, leaving the warehouse relatively empty. Turning his attention to the remaining members, he could not help but spot Gil positioned at the window, facing the outside. "What's the matter, Gil?" Forcystus asked, "You've been in that position for almost the entire night."

"I'm just a little under the weather." Gil replied nonchalantly, "I want to be close to the window so I can get some air."

Forcystus stepped away after the answer, and Gil returned to gazing outside. As the Cruxis vehicles moved off, he could see from the corner of his eye a couple of police vans pull out onto the road with them. At that moment, the chase was on!


	5. The Hunting Party

**Dawnstarshine** and** I.K.A. Valian **provided the reviews once again. These two have been my closest followers so far, at least with regards to this story.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

As the Cruxis vehicles pulled out of the storage yard, the police drivers put the pedal to the metal in their vans in hot pursuit. "Captain, we are directly behind their vehicles," the driver of the lead police van said into the radio, "Your orders?"

"Stay low for now," Captain Burton replied, "No sudden moves, no weird gestures, no nothing." Turning to the radio operators, he instructed that all vans be put onto the same radio channel, "We'll put them on the secure radio, channel six. That way, no outside radio source can be connected into the network."

Burton also went to the main communications coordinator and asked her to reset all the channels. Meanwhile, his Major Crimes Unit counterpart was busily tapping another coded message into his microphone. The mood was getting tenser as neither side wanted their operation to fail after coming so far.

As Burton left, the communications coordinator typed some commands into the laptop, and reset all the channels for the police to use. Turning back to catch a glimpse of the Major Crimes captain, she could see that he still had his eyes closed, completely concentrated on his tapping. Quietly, the coordinator slid the internet networking card into the laptop and typed in a message to Forcystus. "Secure radio channel six, require hacking," she typed. Turning again to ensure that the captain was not looking, she sent her message to the local Cruxis leader.

Forcystus winced uncomfortably as his cell phone buzzed in his pocket. Pulling it out, he took a quick glance at the text message and frowned. "Seems like the police may be on to us," he muttered, "Better get out my secret weapon." Stepping into a dark corner, he pulled out a box that he had placed there earlier, and from it lifted out a small iPod-like device with an earpiece. Pressing a few buttons and adjusting the frequency, he finally found the channel, and intently listened in.

"Once you see them stop at their target, do not advance." Forcystus heard the captain order, "Stay low, but keep an eye on them. Once they got the goods, go in for the kill." Removing the earpiece, Forcystus picked up his phone and called his drivers.

"The cops seem to have noticed our operation, and are following you guys as of we speak," he informed the drivers, "Why don't you take them for a ride?"

Upon hearing that, the Cruxis vehicles made a sharp turn away from the main road and into a residential neighbourhood. Confused, the police drivers followed, all the while keeping an eye out for the locations to report to base. "They're going into a residential zone," the driver of the lead van reported, "Your orders?"

"Keep following for now, and stick with the old plan," Burton replied. The heavyset man wiped his mouth uncomfortably, their operations suddenly getting quite a bit harder.

At this time, the Major Crimes captain stepped up and grabbed his shoulder. "I just got a message from our mole, and it seems like they may have hacked into our channel," he told Burton, "Try switching to another channel."

Turning back to the radio operators, Burton announced his suspicions. "They may have hacked into our network. Try switching to another channel. How about channel three?" he suggested.

As the radio operators switched their channels, the communications expert typed in a message warning Forcystus of the change as well. Taking advantage of the fact that both captains were away from her corner, she sent the message to Forcystus.

Upon receiving the message, Forcystus calmly changed the channel to his radio and eavesdropped on the police once more. "Keep taking them around," he instructed his drivers, "Don't stop until I say so."

After speaking with the drivers, he called the delivery group who had the pieces of technology he sought. "The police seem to be onto us, so we may use a new location for the drop. Instead of waiting at the east side of town, take yourselves to the north side, just adjacent to the Iselia Forestry Reserve." Snapping the phone shut, he shoved it back into his pocket. "I'd like to see how long the cops last," he muttered to himself.

* * *

A good half an hour had passed and the Cruxis vehicles were still weaving back and forth between the residential zones. Burton was reluctant to stop the chase, but deep down he knew something was wrong. Finally, the police drivers became suspicious, and called back to their commander back at base. "Sir, I doubt they're making the drop at a place like this. It looks more and more like they're just going around in circles. Do you think they may be doing this to fool us?" the driver of the lead van suspected.

Burton was about to reply when the Major Crimes captain approached him. "The mole told me that the location of the drop has been changed. Forcystus just announced it to his group a few minutes ago," he informed Burton, "I say let our vans pull back for now and head straight for the new location rather than stay with these guys."

Burton did not even hesitate in applying the new information. "Call off the chase," he announced, "We're going with a new plan."

Just as the radio operators relayed new orders to the drivers, the captain received another message from Gil. Choosing to keep the message to himself rather than telling it to Burton, he returned to his position in the back. The communications expert became a bit worried, as the new directions seemed rather vague, and she was not sure what to make of it. What's more, with the captain of the Major Crimes Unit taking a position right behind her, with his eyes open this time, it would be difficult to update Forcystus on this. She could hope that Forcystus had some way to know about this change of plans.

Unfortunately, Forcystus had his earpiece off, and could not overhear the new orders given by Captain Burton. Instead, he was on his cell phone, hearing his drivers inform him that the police vehicles were backing off one by one. "Good," Forcystus commented, "That means we can go back to our original plan. Start heading north to Iselia Forest at once. We'll pick up our goods from there."

Gil turned around to face Forcystus, knowing that the entire operation would boil down to this very last move. Biting his lower lip, he glanced nervously around the room, seeing that everyone seemed to be anxious about it as well. The atmosphere in the room was becoming increasingly tense, as neither side was intent on failing.

* * *

The police vans soon reached their destination. Seeing that there was a forestry road nearby, the drivers decided to park there, using the darkness of the night and the surrounding trees to hide. Within minutes, a large truck pulled onto the side of the road just a few kilometres ahead. Without delay, the lead van's driver grabbed the radio and called back to base. "A large truck has just pulled up, and we believe that the goods may be in there," he reported, "what are your orders?"

"Hold your positions until Cruxis' vans show up first," Burton replied, "No sudden movements until they make the drop."

As the police observed patiently, the captain of major crimes unit began tapping into his microphone again. This time, instead of sneaking in messages to Forcystus, the communications expert chose to observe the captain instead. Watching his hand and racking her brain, she tried to decipher his messages. "What was he typing?" she thought.

After a few minutes, she finally figured it out: the captain was typing in a message in Morse code. In fact, he was typing to someone not in the room, and was very likely to be the mole the police sent into Cruxis. "So the mole was not merely an informant," she murmured, "He was with Cruxis during the entire operation."

Turning back to the laptop, she enlarged the messenger screen, and prepared to type to Forcystus once more. "Police mole amongst your group," she typed in, and glanced at the captain once more. This time, she waited until the captain closed his eyes again, and tried to decipher the message from his tapping. "Will proceed when drop made," she managed to interpret and typed that into the laptop.

Meanwhile, Burton got the call he was expecting. "Sir, they've opened the truck up, I think they're going for the goods right now," the police drivers reported, "Should we go for it now?"

"Yes, go in for the kill, right now." Burton smirked, knowing success would fall straight into the police's hands.

"Police advancing, cease operation immediately," the communications expert typed in. Discretely, she pressed the Send button and gently pulled out the connections card once that transmission was complete.

Meanwhile, Forcystus stood patiently in his corner, waiting for the call from his group to confirm the goods. He had an arrogant smirk on his face, knowing that this time, the operation would be a success and Cruxis had taken a huge step towards its final goal. Suddenly, his phone buzzed on his side again. Annoyed, he lifted it up to see the message and sender. "Oh no," he muttered as he read the small screen. Flipping the phone open, he quickly dialled the number of his field team.

* * *

As the police officers inched closer to the delivery truck, they could hear Cruxis members commenting on the goods they were about to receive. "Looks like the real deal, I guess we can call the boss to confirm that we're getting this," one member stated.

The leader of the police team waved his hands, pointing at different directions and directing where team members should be located. Officers spread out their locations strategically, closing in like a pack of wolves stalking their prey. The shuffling of the police coincided with Cruxis members entering the truck to retrieve their items. A cell phone rang just as the first box was lifted and hoisted down the ramp of the truck. A Cruxis member stopped to answer it as the police sprang into action.

The member's eyes widened upon hearing the message from the other side as officers dashed towards the truck with their guns drawn. "Everybody drop the goods, the cops are here!" he shouted, "Push the self-destruct buttons on the boxes, destroy the evidence immediately!"

"Police! Freeze! Step away from the boxes and get out of that truck!" The next few seconds were major mayhem as Cruxis members and police officers clashed in the dark, damp highway. There was some pushing and shoving between the two groups, as the police tried to apprehend their suspects while Cruxis members tried to flee the impending explosion. The scene resembled two groups of predators competing for food or habitat, and it would not be long when the first shot was fired.

All the action on the field was causing Burton to pace nervously back at base. Keeping his ear near the radio, he could hear police and Cruxis members exchanging gunfire, with a lot of yelling and screaming from both sides. Cursing under his breath, Burton addressed his own group. "I don't know what the situation is like over there, but we're going into their warehouse as soon as it's stabilized."

Suddenly, the captain of major crimes snapped his eyes open and ran towards his SIU counterpart. "Burton, you better get your guys out of there," he advised, "The mole tells me they have explosives detonated and the truck will self-destruct any second!"

Burton immediately turned to his radio operators and relayed the orders to the field. "Everybody get away from the truck. It's going to blow!"

The next few seconds were a blur to both teams on the field. Between the gunfire, the yelling, and lots of movement, now everyone was suddenly aware of explosives in the truck. Indeed, a timer inside was set for explosion exactly one minute upon activation. Each group was still fighting the other, all the while trying to escape, and in the middle of all this, the timer ticked to zero.

The explosion ripped through the road as a large fireball lit up the night sky. Several people were blown back like rag dolls as the powerful blast sent shockwaves through the area. For a while, the gunfire and struggle between Cruxis and the police was halted in favour of each side trying to get their own hurt members out. Back at their respective bases, Burton and Forcystus both cursed, knowing their operations had failed.

"Sir?" one officer asked Burton, "Do we still take out their warehouse?"

Burton raised a hand, holding the officer off while he deliberated with his Major Crimes counterpart. After a few minutes, he nodded his head. "The radio operators stay in their position," he instructed, "Everyone else, come with me."

At the other warehouse, Forcystus fumed as he stepped out from the corner and into the centre of the room. Not only had his operation failed, it was also likely that some Cruxis members were injured in the process, decreasing his manpower for their next operation, whenever it might be. He glared at all members present there, knowing that one of them was a spy working for the police. Just as Forcystus was about to confront his men, the police burst into the warehouse. "Police, freeze!" the leading officer shouted as members of the Iselia Police Department calmly stepped in. There was complete silence as the two captains surveyed the scene.

Assessing the situation carefully, Forcystus stepped to the front to confront the two captains. "Good evening, gentlemen," he greeted, "How can I help you tonight?"

"We have a certain matter regarding a highway incident involving your group," Burton began, "I suggest we go down to the station to discuss this issue at some more comfortable surroundings. Shall we?"

* * *

At the main interrogation room, Forcystus sat facing the door in the only chair on his side of the table. Gil and other Cruxis members stood in a line behind him. They waited as Burton went to check on the number of injured officers from the incident.

Finally, the captain of Major Crimes stepped into the room with a handful of officers from the earlier operation. The last officer coming into the room was the female officer in charge of communications, and she gently closed the door behind her. The captain took a seat across from Forcystus, and the officers lined up behind him, much like the Cruxis members. It looked like a Wild West showdown with the leaders and their respective sides staring down each other.

Finally, the captain led off with the first line. "We've done our investigations, and it seems like there wasn't enough evidence to prove that your boys were doing anything illegal," he reported, "I guess that means it was a false alarm after all."

"So that means you can let us go then, right?" Forcystus retorted, lips stiff and arms crossed.

The captain nodded. "All of you are free to leave," he replied, "Although I can't say that the stuff in the truck is coming with you, given that explosion you guys created in the middle of the highway. By the way, how much did you lose with that blast?"

Forcystus paused for a second, as if to collect his thoughts. Then he turned to the captain with a threatening glare. "So that's what it's about, isn't it? A little game of cat and mouse? What makes you think you inferior beings can defeat us by sending a spy into our network?" Forcystus shouted, jumping up from his chair and slapping the table.

The captain's gaze slowly moved up to face Forcystus, his face expressionless. "I can say the same about you," he replied, "I believe you have a mole in the SIU, which led to the operation being a failure on both sides."

Forcystus glanced over his shoulder menacingly as he sat back down. Likewise, the captain did the same for the handful of officers in the room with him. Not a word was spoken for the next few seconds as both commanders stared down their troops, very much knowing that the other side was aware of the situation.

"You know, this reminds me of an experience I had ten years ago, when I was first appointed to be the captain of the Major Crimes Unit," the captain recalled, "One of the officers in the unit recommended a book for me to read. It took place in the not so distant past, about a hundred years ago, and it's about this old nobleman inviting a bunch of his peers and their families over to his estate for a hunting party."

Forcystus seemed to grow a bit interested as the captain continued, "One chapter has the two best hunters in the group encountering what is considered the target of the year. If they managed to hunt this one down they'll be remembered for it forever. But here's the catch: each side only has one gun, each gun only has one bullet in it, and neither hunter is willing to concede. Under this situation, there were only two choices for each guy: shoot the prey but risk missing and letting the other guy getting it, or shoot the other guy and take his gun but risk getting called unsportsmanlike."

The captain turned to face Forcystus. "I see myself in the same situation as these hunters right now. I could go after the prey, in other words you, and risk having your mole intercept me. Or I could break all privacy policies of the police department and go after your mole in here. Either way I'm making a difficult choice, but I know what results I'm getting with each choice."

Forcystus smirked. "Have fun making that choice, I'm sure it'll be a fascinating topic between you and your team," he sneered, "Meanwhile, my men and I are leaving." With that, he briskly stood up and headed straight for the door. The officers standing before the door glared at the Cruxis leader menacingly, but made way nonetheless.

"I forgot to tell you," the captain added as Forcystus reached for the doorknob, "In the book, there was indeed a casualty at the end of the aforementioned sequence."

"And I'm pretty sure that casualty will be you in real life," Forcystus replied smugly, "I just want to know how long you'll be lasting."

* * *

The atmosphere in Izoold was the exact opposite of Iselia, as Lloyd, Colette, and Genis were happily enjoying their one-night stay in the city. They saw the fishing docks, tasted the local food, and even spent some time on the beach. All three would enjoy their time there, but it would be time to board the ferry to Palmacosta.

"Wouldn't it make more sense to charge extra for a night ferry?" Genis asked as Lloyd went to pay for their fare, "I mean, we are staying on the ship overnight."

"Apparently, Colette knew something of a deal that gives us a discount, so we're going with that," Lloyd replied, stepping back into the MINI Cooper with three tickets. He handed one out to Genis, who was seated in the back, and put one on the dashboard. The third he gave to Colette, who was on the phone with her father at the time.

After a few minutes, Colette hung up, and Lloyd started up the MINI Cooper to go onto the ferry. "So what exactly are we looking for when we meet up with your father in Palmacosta?" Lloyd asked as he steered the vehicle onto the ship.

"Dad did indeed talk to his colleague about the Triet situation, and they're willing to go on a trip to Thoda Geyser for a comparative study," Colette replied, "He's seeing if we can be invited to tag along, but I'm pretty sure the others will say yes."

"Speaking of which, I've never really gotten the notion of summon spirits. I mean, they seem to be just manifestations of large quantities of mana, but doesn't that mean someone who can control mana can also manage one of those guys?" Lloyd asked.

"I think you're referring to summoner," Genis pointed out, "I've read somewhere that these people can to summon these spirits and control their mana with ease."

"But they don't exist anymore. The art of summoning, just like the ability for anyone, including those with elfish blood, to control mana, has not been commonly used for a long time," Lloyd pointed out, parking his vehicle and turning the engine off, "So how does anyone plan to study these things if we don't even have something to control them properly?"

"Relax, Lloyd," Genis said, "it's not like we require their mana. We just go in, make a few notes, take some pictures, and hopefully not annoy the daylights out of them with an irritating ring tone," the young half-elf glared at Lloyd as those words came out, "I think we'll be fine."

"Besides, there have been people who studied the summoning arts, so it's not like we're completely clueless about them," Colette added, "although to an extent, I do agree with you, given the fact that nobody actually practices summoning anymore."

Lloyd nodded as the threesome made the way up to the deck. "I'm going to give my dad a call, just to tell him we're on our way to Palmacosta."

* * *

"So what time will you be docking in Palmacosta?" Gil asked as he sat in a hallway, "It's a twelve-hour ride? You're going to be bored."

"We'll probably be sleeping the majority of the time," Lloyd replied on the other line, "Anyway, got to go. The ferry is about to leave."

Gil wished his son a good trip, and snapped his phone shut. A few minutes later, Forcystus came out of the room. "Gil, you're just the person I want to see. Come on into my office," he ordered bluntly.

Gil slowly got up and stepped into the dimly lit room. Forcystus sat behind his large desk, and on it were some unorganized files and a tape recorder. "So, Gil," the tall half-elf began, "how long have you been with Cruxis, or more specifically, my group?"

Gil sat down apprehensively, not knowing what to expect. Realizing that it was best to tell the truth, he took a deep breath and answered. "I've been with Cruxis for ten years, and with the Iselia group for four."

Forcystus nodded, as if he was expecting the answer all along. "I've also heard that you used to be a police officer before joining Cruxis. Is that also true?"

Gil froze. Perhaps the Cruxis leader was suspecting him? He looked at Forcystus, who remained relatively expressionless. Seeing how he could not find a way to weasel out of this, he gave the only appropriate answer possible. "If you asked me that question ten years ago, then yes, I was a police officer," he replied, "But if you ask me today, then the answer is no, I'm no longer part of the police force."

Forcystus nodded again. Gil could see the half-elf's face relax, so he guessed the answer seemed to satisfy him, and may have taken him off the suspects list, for now. "Why don't we cut to the chase? Right now, as you're probably aware, we suspect that the police sent in a spy who was personally responsible for causing our last mission to fail. In fact, if I may be so bold, I believe the last few smaller operations also failed because of this mole. So, to be clear, let me ask you this: if you found out that one of your own is the mole, what would you be doing?" Forcystus sat up straight, looking Gil straight in the eyes.

Gil took another deep breath to calm the butterflies in his stomach. "Well, we got to do what we got to do right?" he replied, "I mean, if this mole is here to cause trouble, then we have to take him out. But we don't really know who it is so far," he pointed out.

"And that's exactly my point," Forcystus continued, "It could be someone within our group, or they may have originated from one of our associates in Asgard, Palmacosta, or even Tethe'alla. With all these possibilities, nobody can be truly considered a safe bet. But just between you and me." Forcystus lowered his volume and leaned closer to the undercover police officer, "I've always had suspicions about our associates. Our grand leader in charge of keeping track of all groups has told me that they may be planning on a mutiny of some sort, which would destroy all our plans. I'm willing to believe that one of those guys collaborated with the mole to take out the operation, or more specifically me, in exchange for keeping themselves out of jail."

Gil remained unfazed, but did express some concern. "Let's say we do find out that these guys are backstabbing, and we flush out the mole, so what? I mean, Cruxis still can't operate with you alone, right?" he challenged.

"That's the beauty of my plan. You see, the grand leader has the most trust in me, meaning any information that goes through the group must go through me first. I can keep certain bits away from the others, which makes them to be oblivious to our moves. So if we do find out that they're betraying us, we can eliminate them and still move on with our objectives without delay," Forcystus explained, "But the catch is, we have to send someone into their premises to search out their true objectives before we act."

"So what are you suggesting then?" Gil asked, "We should send someone into Asgard, Palmacosta and Tethe'alla just to check out where the mole is and what those guys plan on doing? And better yet, who are you planning to send?"

Forcystus' answer was quick and short. "You," he replied, "you've been with Asgard and Palmacosta for those six years before you joined me. As well, you also have did work in Tethe'alla a couple of times. Since pretty much every branch of Cruxis knows you well, it makes you the perfect person for the job."

Gil was about to object when Forcystus silenced him with a wave of the hand. "Besides, being a human, you think differently than most of these guys. They don't really pay much attention to the true objectives of Cruxis, only paying lip service and support us because of some abstract 'we want a better life' motto. When you first joined, I could see that you genuinely have distaste for the world you were in, and was willing to go with our plans all the way. That's why you get a lead position in some of our operations, despite you being one of only a few humans in not just in our Iselia branch, but all of Cruxis."

"I still don't think I can do it alone, though," Gil replied, still absorbing what was just said, "I'm going to have to get a few people to come with me to Asgard and Palmacosta."

"Once I'm done asking for their Social Insurance, driver's licenses, personal identification, then I'll send a couple of people over," Forcystus explained, "And in the interests of everyone, I want you to write down all your info first." With that, he pulled out a sheet of paper and a pen. Gil grabbed them and wrote down his information.

Forcystus took back the pen and paper as Gil finished. Putting them away, he turned back to Gil. "I think I speak for all of us when I say that this mole is dangerous, and must be stopped at all costs," Forcystus warned, "Our operation is in your hands, you must find out who the mole is and what connections he or she may have with Asgard and Palmacosta, or even Tethe'alla."

Gil nodded. Getting up to leave, he told Forcystus of his plans. "I'll try to leave for Palmacosta on the first flight tomorrow. If you can send my little helpers over in the next two or three days, that'll be great." With that, he turned swiftly and exited the office.

* * *

"Look, don't worry about me for now. Your job is to find out about Cruxis' mole in the force. Flush the mole out before Cruxis can do anymore damage to us." Gil was at the airport trying to get a last minute ticket for a flight to Palmacosta, and chose to update his superior on Cruxis' next move of sending him to Palamcosta, and later on Asgard, to flush out the police mole. "It looks like Cruxis will be suspending their plans for at least the next two or three weeks," Gil explained, "They want me to get info out of those guys on the mole before they carry on."

"This is a good chance for us to review our current information," the Major Crimes captain replied, "I'll talk to SIU and see what we can come up with."

"Thanks. By the way, why did you bring my wife into this?" Gil asked, "When we were in the interrogation room, you mentioned a chapter in my wife's book."

"It felt right at the time," the captain answered, "Anyway, let's hope we both can get some stuff done on our missions." With that, he ended the call.

Gil turned back to the tickets office and made his request. Luckily, there was an extra seat available in one of the flights departing today. Thanking the receptionist, he retrieved his ticket and took a seat. The next few weeks were about to get more exciting.

* * *

Now that pretty much every character from The Departed has shown up, here's a list of who's who in my version of the story:

Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) - Gilbert Irving  
Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) - the communications expert on SIU (you'll never guess who she is)  
Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson) - Forcystus  
Sergeant Dignam (Mark Wahlberg) - captain of Major Crimes Unit (you'll never guess who he is)  
Captain Queenan (Martin Sheen) - Police Chief Marshall  
Captain Ellerby (Alec Baldwin) - Captain Burton

That's it so far. Keep reading and reviewing!


	6. Meeting Magnius

**Dawnstarshine** and **I.K.A.** **Valian** provided the reviews again. I want to thank I.K.A. for the mention of this story in your Twilight Princess story, and to address the point you're pestering me about: Sheena WILL make her first appearance at the end of this chapter.

**IMPORTANT**: I want to note that in the past little while, there were lots of anonymous hits to this chapter. It comes from an American source, and it only affects this chapter, nothing else. I'm not sure what's going on, but I don't appreciate it. To the person doing that, if you just bookmarked this chapter by mistake, then please remove your bookmark. But if you're trolling, then I guarantee you that there will be consequences. Cyber-stalking is a crime and I will report this to the authorities on the site. Thank you for your attention.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

"Let's hope we both can get some stuff done on our missions." With that, the captain ended the call by gently placing the phone down. Sighing, he knew he had a difficult situation in his hands. "So Gil has been sent on a wild-goose chase on finding the mole in Palmacosta and Asgard, and that would mean there's no one to keep track of current Cruxis activities here in Iselia."

Looking through his desk, the captain found a notepad and an old pen. Scribbling a couple of lines on the page to ensure that the pen worked, he jotted down some options that he could take in the near future. "Option one would be to continue observing Cruxis without Gil, which makes it more difficult given the fact that Cruxis also has a mole in the SIU. Option two would be to lay off Cruxis for a while, and go after the mole in the force, but that'll require cooperation from SIU." He tapped his pen on his chin thoughtfully. "Or I could go with option three, which is to wait until Gil returns from his trip. I better consult Captain Burton on this first."

Luckily, Burton was in his office when the captain reached SIU, so he was able to discuss his ideas with his SIU counterpart. However, Burton was just as reluctant to take a stand as he was. "I don't know, it's just everything seems so risky right now. Any one of those options could put us at a disadvantage," Burton pointed out.

"But we can't just sit here and do nothing," the captain of Major Crimes Unit replied, "That would for sure give Cruxis the advantage."

Burton sighed, putting his hands over his face. After contemplating the ideas for a while, he finally made up his mind. "If I had to choose on the spot, I would probably go with option two, which is to go after Cruxis' mole in the police force. I mean, if Cruxis has eliminated your mole by sending him to Palmacosta, then we might as well put the heat on Cruxis' mole. However, in doing that, I have one condition," Burton requested, leaning back on his chair.

The captain of Major Crimes Unit looked on eagerly as Burton made his point. "I know for a fact that the Cruxis mole is in SIU, which is my jurisdiction. In the interests of avoiding conflicts between units, I'll be monitoring the investigation into Cruxis' mole. However, to avoid suspicion from the unit that someone is snooping around, I will ask one of the unit's own staff members to do the observations and file searching. This staff member will report the results to me, in which I will forward to you. Is that fair?"

The captain of major crimes unit nodded, seeing that there wasn't much of a choice left. "One question though," he said, "Who's going to be your little spy?"

"I've had a few people in mind, and all of them seemed trustworthy. To me, it's more a matter of capability in handling such an important situation," Burton explained, "Do you have any suggestions?" he asked the Major Crimes captain.

The captain thought about it for a few seconds, then came back with an interesting choice. "Remember when we were at our last operation, and there was that short female officer who was managing the communication systems? My heart is leaning towards having her scout out the Cruxis mole. I mean, despite the nervousness at the beginning, I thought she handled her very important position very well back there."

Burton nodded. "She's one of the people I thought about as well. She has relatively little experience in the unit, having only been here for less than two years, but she is very efficient in her work. Besides, being a newbie means she doesn't have any bad records so far, which is always good if you want to consider an internal investigation like this." Sitting back up, he reached for his phone. "I'll just call her up and inform her of her new assignment then."

The captain of major crimes unit agreed with Burton's decision. "Let's hope we can get to the bottom of this as soon as possible," he said as Burton dialled in the number.

* * *

"Colette, Lloyd, Genis, glad you guys can make it!" Frank greeted as they entered another office, this time at the University of Palmacosta. Frank and Raine were about to go on another expedition to study ancient temples, this time targeting one at a famous tourist attraction: Thoda Geyser.

"Thanks for inviting us, guys," Lloyd said as he approached them. On a large table, Lloyd, Genis and Colette could see that there were multiple maps of the area, with certain parts circled or highlighted with a yellow marker. "So, I'm guessing you guys are mapping out the next region that is supposedly home to a summon spirit?" Lloyd asked.

"Yes, Thoda Geyser was supposedly the home of Undine, the summon spirit of the element of water," Raine explained, "Although I'm sure that would be relatively obvious due to the surrounding environment. After all, Thoda Geyser is on an island."

"Are we just going by ourselves this time, or is there someone from Palmacosta coming with us?" Colette asked.

"Actually, my colleague and his research assistant are already going to the geyser. Raine and I are just staying behind to wait for the three of you," Frank replied, "Knowing that mana is unstable and such, we will be much more careful with handling it this time."

"And that means no annoying ring tones, so turn your volume down," Genis taunted Lloyd as he took another cheap shot at his friend.

"Actually, even with a lower volume, it would still affect the mana," Raine chimed in just as Lloyd was prepare to go after her brother, "Any piece of technology that can broadcast a signal, may it be a phone, a radio, or even a pager, can destabilize mana. Frank's colleague actually knows someone who did some research on that, and the results showed that the only safe way to approach mana is when nothing with a wavelength can be broadcasted. So for Lloyd and the rest of us, it's best to turn our cell phones off."

"But for Lloyd's case, it's only a ring tone. Nobody called him at the Triet ruins, so shouldn't it mean nobody broadcasted any wavelength?" Colette pointed out.

"For Lloyd's case, I would argue it's the ring tone that caused Efreet to go crazy. But in general, it's best to turn off your phones or radios," Raine concluded.

"Actually, can we change the topic?" Frank said from the other side of the room, "I think we should focus on this current project. My colleague's research assistant has been studying summon spirits for her thesis, and her topic is the actual summoning arts. For a relatively young researcher, she knows quite a lot about them, so it'll be interesting to see what she can tell us."

"Wow, it'd be really cool to see someone control those summon spirits," Lloyd commented, "Especially the one back at Triet. Control that thing, and summon it by using lines like: 'burn to oblivion'!" he posed dramatically.

"Just don't be setting anyone of us on fire," Genis muttered, rolling his eyes. Turning back to the group, he focused on the maps and notes on the table. "So what else has the University of Palmacosta found out about this world reunification, control of mana, summon spirits things?"

"Well, there has been research done on how elves and half-elves control mana, which I think may be of interest to you," Frank handed Genis a couple of books, "We were going through the bookstore when Raine decided to pick these up. I guess she's interested in learning how your ancestors control this stuff."

"Now who should be afraid of burning people to a crisp?" Lloyd teased.

Genis was about to reply when Frank handed a book to Lloyd. "Since you seemed quite interested in summon spirits and their role in world reunification, I decided to get this book for you. It's about the entire history of the world reunification from the day the worlds were put back together to today, minus the summon spirits. Who knows, maybe you can find some clues in there that tells us what happened to them when the process was finished," Frank shrugged.

Lloyd picked up the book apprehensively. He was never a big reader nor a history buff, so he was unsure of what to do with the book. But nevertheless, he accepted it and thanked the professor.

"As for Colette," Frank said as he reached into his bag and grabbed another book, "This one has to do with the actual summon spirits themselves. According to the book, there are eight of them that were well known during that time, and two others that were somewhat mentioned. But of course, ever since reunification there hasn't been any new information on them."

"And I got something for myself as well," Raine chimed in, lifting up another book, "This one talks about people in the past using mana for different purposes. There are machines that use mana as fuel, mana being used for transportation, and even mana used for healing purposes." Raine flipped through a couple of pages in admiration. "It really saddens me that we most of us can no longer use mana properly, otherwise think of how convenient the world would be."

Genis sighed. "There she goes again," he muttered to himself. Turning back to Frank, he asked for the time in which they depart for Thoda Dock tomorrow.

"If all goes well, we're leaving first thing tomorrow morning," Frank replied, "we want to get to the dock and board the boat for the geyser before noon. We have a lot to do when we get there, so no time to waste. I'll also introduce you to my colleague and his research assistant," he announced to the group, "I'm sure they'll entertain any questions you may have regarding Triet or this project, or even the summoning arts that Genis was mentioning earlier."

* * *

"Magnius will see you now," a half-elf told Gil in a low, somewhat threatening voice. The undercover police officer thanked the man and slowly stepped up the stairs of the old building. Gil did not have good memories of this place, as it was his first stop in his tour of Cruxis bases, and the leader of this branch did not make him feel any better.

The wooden floors creaked and groaned as Gil stepped past them and into another dark office. The half-elf opened the door for him and waited for him to go in. Thanking the man, Gil entered and approached the large desk in the centre. The door was promptly closed behind him. "No need to keep standing around," a voice from behind the desk called, "Have a seat."

Gil pulled out a chair as the half-elf leader came into light. Magnius was an imposing man, with the size of a bodybuilder and facial features that would send shivers up the spines of even the bravest people. "So, Gil," the large man began, "What brings you back to Palmacosta, after what? Seven years?"

"About that much, yeah," Gil answered nervously, "I'm on a new mission with Cruxis right now. It seems like there's now a police mole in the Iselia group."

"And why would that bring you here? Shouldn't that be Iselia's problem and not ours?" Magnius challenged.

Gil swallowed. Knowing that Magnius was a volcanic man, it was unwise to say anything that aroused his suspicion. "Well, being a high ranking member of Cruxis, Forcystus was concerned that similar situations may be present in Palmacosta and Asgard, so he sent me to investigate. I assure you I will work with you in every possible way," Gil explained, noting that Forcystus asked him to keep his intentions in the house.

But Magnius reacted in a way that no one could imagine: he threw his head back and laughed. "So because your pretty-boy leader said something was wrong, you start sniffing around all of Cruxis? Don't make me laugh!" Magnius roared, "I'll tell you right now, I've always believed that your friend was too insecure about his own position in the Cruxis ladder. So he suspects that the cops sent in a mole, and he's wandering around so he can find someone to shift the attention to, just to hide his own incompetence."

"Hold on, nobody said anything about incompetence," Gil replied, raising his hands in defence, "I'm sure this is all a precaution to ensure that there aren't any spies watching us in any given situation. You still have the final call as to what has to be done here," Gil assured the large half-elf.

Magnius snickered at that remark. "Let me tell you something, human. We've been keeping our eyes on both the police and other rivals in Palmacosta for the last few years, and the only threat we've seen so far is this group that has been studying summon spirits in the university. We believe that they may have information that rivals can use to take away our position, especially with regards to taking control of mana. So why don't you go back to Forcystus and tell him to watch the action at Triet instead, given the fact that there were discoveries being broadcasted in the news earlier?" Magnius retorted.

"The Triet ruins, the supposed home to the summon spirit of fire Efreet," Gil acknowledged, "I'm aware of that part, but it doesn't seem to mean anything unless we can find out whether there's a mole around first. Why don't you just work with me and we'll crack this thing together? I mean, I can't just go back to Iselia empty-handed!"

Magnius leaned his head closer to Gil. Even in the dim light, Gil could see an eerie sneer across his face. "You're not going back to Iselia empty-handed," Magnius corrected Gil, "You're going to stay here and watch me single-handed control all the mana of the nearest source, and go report to Forcystus my accomplishment. When that happens, you can tell him to beginning submitting to my orders!" Magnius finished he rant with a hard slap on the table.

Gil was about to protest when Magnius silenced him again. "Don't be questioning my judgment, Gil. You still remember your first experience at Palmacosta, don't you? That was ten years ago, when Forcystus first brought you here to be acquainted with me."

* * *

**Ten years ago… **

_A clean-shaven young man dressed in a leather jacket and blue jeans stepped into a bar with Forcystus. Said man was Gil Irving, who supposedly resigned from the police force just a month ago, and was now a fledgling member of Cruxis by joining their branch at Iselia. However, Forcystus was not too confident in the young man's abilities yet, so he brought him to Palmacosta to meet with Magnius, who had more experience in working with new members. "Consider this your on-the-job training. You will learn to work with us properly," the tall half-elf insisted._

_Gil and Forcystus sat at the back end of the bar, with Gil trying to avoid any eye contact. After a few minutes, Forcystus got up to leave, but asked Gil to stay where he was. "I'm bringing in Magnius," he informed Gil, "I think it's about time you guys get acquainted with one another."_

_Gil nodded as Forcystus stepped away. He waited patiently at the bar, tapping his fingernails on the surface, but tried to remain relatively silent. A few minutes later, a large, imposing man lumbered into the area and planted himself in the seat Forcystus was at earlier. Conveniently, Gil's cell phone also rang._

_"Gil, you see that guy seated next to you?" the undercover police officer could hear Forcystus say on the other line, "That's Magnius, leader of Cruxis in Palmacosta."_

_Gil nodded, glancing to his left to get a good look at the large man's face. "Now, it seems like I forgot to tell you a small problem," Forcystus continued on the phone, "You see, Magnius and I aren't exactly on good terms right now. His incompetence caused one of our start-up projects to fall in Palmacosta police's hands. Why don't you greet him for me by giving his hand a good whack with that ashtray in front of you?"_

_Gil lifted the phone from his face and stared at it like it had grown arms. "Do it!" Forcystus ordered, "Break his hand now!"_

_Reluctantly, he lifted the ashtray from the bar and slammed it into Magnius' right hand. That barely got a reaction from the big half-elf, who only glared at Gil. "Come on, harder!" Forcystus continued shouting, "I want him howling in pain!"_

_Gil lifted the ashtray and brought it down with as much force as he could muster. That got maybe a change in expression on Magnius' face, from bored to irritated. "I said keep slamming! Don't you dare stop until his hand is broken!" Forcystus hollered._

_"I swear, the ashtray will break before his hand will," Gil muttered. Nevertheless, he accepted his leader's commands and continued to hammer away._

_Unfortunately for Gil, Magnius proved to be deceivingly fast for a big man, as he caught Gil's wrist in midair. With a right-handed death grip on Gil wrist, Magnius put the squeeze on Gil's shoulder with his left hand. Then, in one swift motion, he twisted Gil's body around, nearly dislocating Gil's shoulder. Gil could only scream in pain._

_With his free hand, he managed to retrieve his phone. "Forcystus! What is the meaning of this?" Gil yelled, hoping to give his leader an earful. But all he received was a low tone, as Forcystus had already hung up, and the line was dead. Seeing that he had fallen into a trap, Gil became terrified for his life._

_Magnius would continue the punishment, as he positioned the ashtray right below Gil's face. In one swift motion, he slammed Gil's face into the cinders, forcing the undercover police officer to inhale the debris. As Gil struggled for his breath, he was hoisted into the air by Magnius, and was thrown across the top of the bar. He skidded along, knocking off drinks and glasses before landing hard at the far end, near the back door. The cruelty would continue as Magnius picked up a billiard stick and hit Gil a couple more times on the side, each time creating a sickening "crack" sound._

_Gil was barely conscious from all the pain as two people carried him outside into the back alley. They propped him against the wall, holding him still as the Palmacosta Cruxis leader stepped out to him. "So, what's a stinking inferior human like you doing in our quarters?" Magnius sneered, bringing his face close to Gil._

_"Forcystus…is deciding…on bringing me…into Cruxis," Gil stuttered, still trying to catch his breath. He could barely see properly as the beating inside gave him a black eye, which was nearly swollen shut by now._

_Magnius, angered by the answer, gave Gil a hard jab to the ribs. "Wrong answer, pal," he retorted, "Forcystus would never believe that a human can contribute, that's why he brought you to Palmacosta so that I can have some fun taking you out."_

_A sharp pain shot through Gil's side, and lingered on even as Magnius backed down. But Gil was relentless in his mission. "He brought me down here…to supposedly let you take me in, because he said…" Gil coughed out some blood, "he said…you were better at handling rookies…than he was."_

_That earned him a slap across the face from Magnius, causing Gil to spray blood from his mouth onto the wall. "Wrong again, genius," Magnius taunted, "Nobody has taken you into anything yet. If anything, Forcystus told me that you had a background as a police officer. Despite quitting the force, he told me that you may still have connections in Iselia that can bust us both!"_

_Gil racked his brain. It seemed like Forcystus had him at a dead end, and it would not be long before Gil joined his wife Anna in death. "You're worthless, you're weak, you can't even defend yourself," Magnius listed off as he paced before Gil, "Tell me why I should keep a scumbag like you!" he roared in Gil's face._

_Finally, Gil put together the only answer. It would be dangerous, as it might reveal his identity, but it was worth the risk. "Because I can help you escape the police," he whispered in a hoarse voice._

_That got Magnius' attention, and the large man spun around and faced Gil with his menacing stare again, as if daring Gil to repeat the answer. "With my police knowledge, I can tell you…how the police investigate. It can give you…an advantage in avoiding…and eluding them."_

Gil thought back to that day, and realized that statement would be crucial, as it would turn Magnius into more accepting of him. It didn't show at first, as Gil was beaten up again, this time by a group of half-elves who he was assigned to on his first mission. Slowly but surely, Gil would earn Magnius' trust, and would be called to Palmacaosta from Iselia, mostly weeks at a time, to help up with Cruxis operations. This continued for three years until Magnius and Forcystus decided to reassign him to Asgard.

Shaking his head to turn his attention back to the present day, he could see that it would be another sticky situation. Magnius was stubborn as an ox, and was unlikely to back down from such confrontations. Gil knew Magnius was likely to put himself at odds with Forcystus, which could mean breaking away from or even backstabbing Cruxis. Yet at the same time, should he appease Magnius, Forcystus was sure to get on his case. And in the middle of all this, he still had to worry about the mission of flushing out the police mole, which ironically was himself, and get updated on the situation with his captain in the Iselia Police Department. Sighing, he realized he had no easy way out.

"Alright, you win. We'll tackle this mission your way," Gil conceded, "But you have to keep in mind that Forcystus wants to know about the police mole, and he's also supposed to send a couple of people here to help me out as well."

"Once we control the mana of the local region, not even the police can stop us!" Magnius boldly stated, howling with laughter. Gil could only shake his head as the large half-elf dismissed him from his office with a wave of the hand.

* * *

"Explain to me again: why are you upside-down?" Lloyd asked. It was the night before the expedition to Thoda Geyser. While everyone insisted on getting to bed early, Genis had been doing some rather unusual exercises all evening. As Lloyd exited the bathroom, he saw Genis doing the oddest activity of the bunch by balancing on his head and remaining motionless. He started just before Lloyd entered the bathroom, which was ten minutes ago, so Lloyd guessed Genis was upside-down for the past fifteen minutes.

Finally, Genis slowly balanced himself back onto his feet. Turning to face Lloyd, he opened the book Frank gave him earlier and showed him a page. "It says here that mana users in the past must combine all energies within their bodies, making themselves as balanced as possible. It sounded like something you would get in yoga, so I decided to practice a bit more."

Lloyd cocked his eyebrow. "Uh, Genis, you told me that your Grandma was into yoga as a way to keep fit in her old age. You didn't tell me you knew some tricks as well," Lloyd pointed out, taking the book from Genis' hands and giving it a read.

Genis shrugged. "When Raine was usually busy in undergrad, and Grandma goes to her yoga class, she didn't want me to stay at home alone. She usually invites me along and I picked up some techniques along the way. Who thought it'd come in handy here?"

Lloyd flipped a couple of pages. "It says here that mana users in the past would concentrate on the mana around them, and absorb it into their bodies, so that they are one with the mana. It also describes how higher skilled users, especially those with elven blood, can even control the elements within the mana, and cast all sorts of unusual spells and attacks." Lloyd lifted his head and focused his attention on his half-elf friend, "So when are you going to demonstrate for me?"

Genis chuckled. "Just because I'm doing yoga doesn't mean I'm going to be some great wizard. I'm just in the preparation stages right now," Genis replied, "Besides, I have no plans to focus just on manipulating mana all my life. It's just something that I find interesting and worth checking out."

Lloyd rolled his eyes. "I guess that's a good sign," he sighed as he flopped onto the bed, "it means I won't have to be near you when you accidentally set things on fire."

"Shut up, Lloyd," Genis muttered, throwing a pillow at his friend.

* * *

"Here are your boarding passes, don't loss them," Lloyd stated as he handed them out to Colette and Genis. Unfortunately, the boat for research staff could not fit all of them, therefore Frank and Raine set out from the dock first, while Lloyd, Colette, and Genis had to go on as visitors. "Just remember that the boat doesn't allow vehicles to board, so we'll have to do some walking," Lloyd added.

"Oh good, that gives us more time to walk around and take pictures," Colette commented, ever the optimist, "I know you and I both brought our cameras, and Genis brought a video camera." Colette turned to the young half-elf, who was standing beside her. He was completely still like a statue, with his eyes closed and his arms somewhat spread out, and his ticket loosely held between the fingers of his left hand.

"You can just ignore that, Genis has been obsessed with trying to be more like a half-elf of the past and learning to manipulate mana," Lloyd told Colette, "Hey Genis, you feeling any mana yet?" Lloyd asked.

Genis opened his eyes. "Surprisingly, no," he answered, "Maybe it's because we're still pretty far away from the geyser, but then again, I've never successfully felt mana before." Relaxing, he reached into his bag and pulled out a video camera. "I'm going to capture every bit of weird activity this time around," he bragged to Lloyd.

As the threesome continued waiting for the boat and discussing what they might expect on the island, a boat from the university research staff pulled into the supplies dock on the other side. Research assistants began jumping out of the boat and pulled some sensitive equipment from a waiting truck. As the technicians began loading the materials onto the boat, little did they know that they were being spied on the whole time.

"The research team is loading everything onto their boats as of we speak. What will our next move be?" the spy spoke into the cell phone.

"Keep observing, don't make a move until they left. Once they're out of sight, hop onto your boats and follow them." The leader on the other line ordered. As the call ended, the leader spun around from his chair, showing the face of Magnius. "This will teach Forcystus not to suspect me," he commented, "All I have to do is to keep Gil off my case, which will be most of today, given the fact that he's picking up his two lackeys from the airport." With that, he threw his head back and laughed.

"And with that, we have reached our destination. We welcome you to Thoda Geyser and hope you have a most wonderful time here," the guide concluded as the tourists filed off the boat.

Lloyd, Colette and Genis were among the last people to step off, and immediately the two humans whipped out their cameras and began snapping pictures. "Colette, where did your dad say he'll be?" Lloyd asked the blonde.

"I'll give him a call, just as soon as I take a couple more shots," she replied, stepping away from the group.

Shrugging, Lloyd turned back to his half-elf friend, who was back into his statue pose again, inching slowly forward like a zombie with his gaze fixed onto the entrance of the tourist attraction. "Nope, still not feeling anything," Genis murmured, opening his eyes again, "I guess feeling for mana is harder than I originally anticipated."

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get better with more experience," Lloyd assured the young half-elf. At this time, Colette returned to the group, cell phone in hand. She told them to assemble at the side dock of the island, and waited for her father's research boat. Within a few minutes, Frank showed up, and they boarded the boat and headed for the research station at the back of the island.

"Well guys, this is the second ancient temple that you'll be visiting," Frank announced as the boat docked, "What do you think?"

"There's definitely a strange feeling," Genis commented, "A bit of a tingling sensation throughout my body. Maybe I am feeling the mana…" he trailed off.

"Anyway, let me do the introductions," Frank stepped forward to a man about his size, "this is Mark Owen, professor of archaeology at the University of Palmacosta, and a good colleague of mine. He's been studying summon spirits and even actual summoning for a while now," He then stepped up to a young woman who had her back turned to the group at the time, "and this is his research assistant, Sheena Fujibayashi."

* * *

I just want to inform you that the next few chapters are not crossing over TOS and The Departed, but TOS and the Infernal Affairs Trilogy from Hong Kong. They will feature traits of the second and third movies where they talk about how the mob boss got to where he is today and how the police mole carries out the missions without compromising his secrets. Thanks for reading.


	7. Hijack at Thoda Geyser

3 reviews this time, from **Dawnstarshine, I.K.A. Valian **(my 2 most reliable reviewers by far in this story), and **Gijinka Renamon.** Just to keep us up to date, you can expect Sheena to deal with her first summon spirit in this chapter.

Namco owns Tales of Symphnoia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

"Come on, we have to contact Gil as soon as possible. He's supposed to pick us up," the tall half-elf glanced over his shoulder at his partner, "You done yet, Chatman?" he asked in an irritated tone.

"Jeez, no need to be raising your voice, Dell. I'm just making sure my bag is zipped up," the shorter half-elf snapped back. Chatman and Dell were assigned by Forcystus to accompany Gil in his quest for the police mole. Just getting off the plane at Palmacosta, Dell whipped out a cell phone and tried to contact Gil, who was supposed to pick them up. While Dell dialled, Chatman's eyes began wandering.

"Hi Gil, we just got off the plane," Dell began. Meanwhile, Chatman's eyes were really darting around, and he was getting increasingly uncomfortable.

"Hey Dell, there are people who keep staring at us," Chatman muttered. Unlucky for him, Dell was making arrangements for a meeting place and could not address his partner's concerns. "Dell, this is getting dangerous here," Chatman continued, slightly increasing his volume.

"Hang on, Gil, I have to deal with this first," Dell lowered his phone and whipped his head around, "What are you mumbling about over there?" he demanded.

"There are people who keep glaring at us," Chatman replied, sounding frantic, "We got to get out of here, it's getting dangerous."

Dell looked around, but saw that no one in particular was staring at them. "There is nobody looking at you. Can you quit being so paranoid?" he retorted, giving Chatman a glare before returning to his conversation with Gil.

Chatman again surveyed the airport terminal, acting like a mouse afraid of being picked up by a hawk. "Dell, there are cops in this airport, I'm sure of it!" he hissed, pulling on the sleeve of the taller half-elf.

That seemed to be the last straw for Dell, who grabbed the shirt of Chatman and pulled him closer to his face. "Listen, there are no cops here, and nobody is looking at us. The only way they'll be looking this way is if you bring it upon yourself by causing a scene the way you were earlier. Now are you going to let me finish arranging with Gil so he can pick us up or are you going to continue babbling?"

"Dell? What's going on over there? Why do you keep getting interrupted?" Gil demanded at the other line, growing more and more impatient.

"Nothing, it's just Chatman here who's being all paranoid about how cops are everywhere and they're all looking at us," Dell replied.

"But they are everywhere!" Chatman shouted. That time it got the attention of everyone around them, who in turn stared at the two half-elves in annoyance.

"And you can just ignore that," Dell told Gil, "So Terminal C second exit is where you'll meet us?" he confirmed with the former police officer.

"Yes, and we'll be heading straight to Magnius and doing the investigations. By the way, what orders does Forcystus have on the police mole situation?" Gil asked, "I'm not getting any luck trying to get Magnius to cooperate with me. It seems more like he's trying to do things his own way."

"Forcystus figured you would say that, so that's why he told us to be prepared to take out Magnius, if necessary. It seems nasty to take out one of our own, but right now we're onto a stage where new pieces of technology are being shipped into Iselia again and we have to keep every side together," Dell explained, "If Magnius does anything that may compromise Cruxis' operations we will need to stop him."

"Alright, I'll keep my eyes open for any weird activities then," Gil replied, "He did tell me that he wants to get the mana of the local region by himself, so I don't know what Forcystus may say about that. I'll see you in a bit." With that, he hung up the phone. Sighing to himself, he picked up the keys to his rental car and headed for the airport, all the while dialling back to Iselia to update the police department on the recent activities.

* * *

As they returned to the Palmacosta base, they immediately went to Magnius' office, only to notice that he was not around. After some frantic searching, they finally found him in the main room, with a bunch of people huddled around him. Curious, they tried to step into the room, only to be intercepted by a couple of Magnius' men and kept out. "What's the meaning of this?" Dell demanded.

"Magnius is beginning an operation and is not allowing any outsiders in," one of the men responded, "You'll just have to wait until we're done."

Dell and Chatman were bewildered at the response, as they looked at each other in confusion. Gil, however, remained relatively calm. Instead, he shot a question back at the two men in their way. "Cruxis never had any operation planned until the police mole situation is fixed, so what's going on here?" Gil asked, crossing his arms.

"Magnius is not letting anyone in, so you'll just have to wait until he's finished," the guard persisted, putting a hand on Gil's shoulder and trying to escort him away.

"Hey, what crap is this? Are you implying we're not part of Cruxis?" Chatman yelled, "Gil, ignore these guys, I say we just bust our way in there!"

As the awkward exchange continued, Gil told Dell to phone up Forcystus while he tried to listen in on the orders from inside the room. "Get onto those boats, we have to be on Thoda Geyser as soon as possible," he could hear Magnius bark out.

"They're sending guys into the island, where's Forcystus?" Gil asked as Dell waited for the call to connect.

Meanwhile, Chatman's heckling and shouting really got to the nerves of the two half-elves guarding the door. They began a small shoving match, and even got the attention of some people inside the room, Magnius included. "Someone please throw that idiot out of here. We have a mission to accomplish here," Magnius roared, turning back to the centre, "Follow the route that the research boat took to the geyser. That way we won't be spotted as easily," he continued, "Take anybody in the area hostage, including researchers, tourists, wardens, anyone."

"Did you get all that, Dell?" Gil asked his partner as Dell listed all the points to Forcystus through the phone, "Meanwhile I'll make sure Chatman doesn't get killed," he muttered, trying to pull Chatman out from the crowd. The shoving match was threatening to escalate into an all-out fist fight.

"No, no no no, that's not our mission at all," Dell could hear Forcystus tell him on the other line, "Where is Magnius? Let me speak to him!"

"He's keeping us out of the room. We can't get past his guys," Dell explained, "I don't think there's anything we can do to convince him to stop,"

As Gil struggled to maintain order within the increasingly volatile scene, he could hear Magnius move towards their direction. Finally getting a hold of Chatman, he pulled the half-elf from the crowd just as Magnius stepped through. Placing his large frame right at the doorway, he glared menacingly at Gil. "I already told you, human, you and your lackeys are not welcome here!" he bellowed.

"Magnius, be reasonable here! You're putting all of Cruxis in danger, and if the police mole is indeed in our company, then who knows what he or she will send into the island to take out your guys," Gil pointed out, "Military, coast guard, you name it! Now in the name of all things sacred, abort this crazy mission and go back to Forcystus' plan! We even have him on the line to prove it to you!" Gil pointed out, waving Dell to come forward with his phone.

"Save it, I don't need Forcystus to tell me what to do. In fact, I've been told that each specific source has enough mana on its own for all of us to use. We don't need some fancy weapons that Forcystus is building to accomplish our goals," Magnius bragged, "But you can keep him on the line while I do big things for Cruxis and climb over him on the hierarchy ladder!" Magnius howled with laughter as he moved back to his position, again asking the two original half-elves to prevent Gil's group from entering.

Dell sighed as he ended the conversation with Forcystus. "Well, looks like our mission to find out the mole's connections to Palmacosta has taken a back seat, now that Magnius has gone mad with Thoda," he commented.

Gil looked away from the scene, his mind in deep thought. "Military, coast guard, research teams," he murmured, "there may just be a chance to stop this madness, and even pin the mole on Magnius' own incompetence. It's a long shot, but I hope it works." Turning back to Chatman and Dell, he told them to keep an eye on Magnius. "I'm leaving for a couple of minutes, make sure you don't take your eyes off him," he ordered, "I may have a plan that can save Cruxis."

* * *

"Finally I get a chance to meet you, Dr. Brunel has been telling us a lot about what you guys were doing," Lloyd greeted, shaking hands with Sheena. Sheena was decked in a purple sweatshirt and dark track pants, and just like Raine, she had the typical equipment of a ruins researcher: mana gauge, flashlight, and a clipboard. "So, exactly what type of research are you doing?"

"Just like Raine in Triet, I'm studying the ruins of Thoda Geyser and its significance to our history. But while Raine studies the function of each temple and what human activities may have been present there, I study how the so-called summon spirits may have been laying dormant in here and how summoners actually control them. In fact, from some historical records, one member of the world reunification crew is actually a summoner, so it'd be interesting to see what role summon spirits can play in the energy and mana flow of the world today," Sheena explained.

"Do you know any summoning at all?" Lloyd continued, curious to know.

"I can probably communicate better with these spirits than you guys do, given what Frank told me about your cell phone incident," Sheena replied, making Lloyd look down in embarrassment again, "I've done most of my research into the relations between a summoner and the summon spirits, so I know how to get a summon spirit to appear and such. But as for actual summoning, I doubt that exists today,"

"So if summoning is lost or at least isn't commonly used, then can't one assume that the roles the summon spirits play in today's world is different than when the worlds are separate?" Colette asked.

"That would be a safe bet, since the worlds are much different between the two times, but I think you'll all get a better understanding of the situation once you get into the temple." Picking up her belongings, she stepped into another dark corridor, "Anybody going to follow?" she asked.

Just like in Triet, the group slowly stepped into the darkening hallway. Genis brought up the rear, tugging on his fingerless gloves and flipping on his video camera. He scanned the area and giving his own commentary. "So this is it, Grandma, the Thoda Geyser's back, home to the water elemental summon spirit known as Undine."

Just as Genis was about to turn to follow the group, something caught his eye, and he turned quickly to identify the source. Running back out into the sunlight, he saw a few strange looking boats coming towards the research station's dock. "I wasn't aware that there were two research teams coming to Thoda," he muttered.

Just as Genis refocused the video camera to zoom in, he heard Raine shout for him. "Genis, you don't want to get left behind, don't you?" Sighing in defeat, he could only turn back and entered the tunnel, all the while making a mental note to himself to ask Frank and his colleague what was going on with the boats outside.

The young half-elf had to pick up his pace and cut most of his commentary short as he hurried to catch up with the group. Scurrying through the dark tunnel like a mouse, Genis panned the camera left and right, filming and recording all the interesting symbols and structures within the area. "This is very different from Triet," Genis continued his commentary, "The structure is built in a totally different format, and the focus is more on honouring the water elementals. It shows that the pilgrims of the past are probably well aware of the different elements of their world and are taking different approaches to honour and glorify these elements."

"I think you can make your own documentary film, with all that commentary you're giving," Sheena teased the young half-elf, "But either way, I'm glad that you guys are interested in this area. It's important that we get a chance to learn about these very important historical artefacts."

"I think we should leave the rest of the commentary to you and Raine," Genis decided, "You guys probably know more about this area than I do. Besides, I'm only doing this for Grandma, who couldn't make it." With that, he panned the shot to the two female researchers and clicked on a small light, which illuminated the tunnel as Genis continued filming and recording the descriptions given by Raine and Sheena as they made their descend deeper into the temple.

Unfortunately for Genis and the others, the boats outside were not from another research team; rather, they were from Cruxis, sent into the island by Magnius to take control of the huge quantity of mana usually present in each of these temples. As the boats docked, Cruxis members pulled out boxes of equipment and other sophisticated pieces of technology. After spending a few minutes to set up and make sure all the equipment had been accounted for, the leader of the group waved his hand to lead the people into the cave.

"I have my doubts about both Magnius and Forcystus," one member could be heard saying, "Forcystus seems to be reluctant to do anything with regards to getting all this untapped mana, but don't you think Magnius may be taking too big of a risk in going for this area in broad daylight?"

"Forcystus is just too power hungry," another member commented, "He thinks that by being a control freak, he can decide what happens to whom and who gets what done. He thinks by doing that he can get all the credit and be the guy on top when all this is done. I say Magnius is taking a risk that should be taken, and show that good-for-nothing pretty-boy what real Cruxis power means."

"Enough, you two!" the leader snapped, "Don't forget that we have a mission to accomplish here," he reminded them as the group stepped into the cave, "alright, here's the plan. Magnius had said that the only objective is getting the mana, so we'll have to deal with anybody that may get in our way. Here's what I suggest…"

As this group entered the cave, little did they know that yet a third group was about to dock as well. Just like Cruxis, this group had multiple boats carrying many members and equipment, but on closer inspection, one could see the two words in bold letters across the sides of the boats: Coast Guard.

* * *

"I've called my counterpart in Palmacosta and they said they will be sending in the Coast Guard. I'm sure they'll try to get the military involved if necessary, but you'll just have to work with what you've got right now," Chief Marshall explained to Gil.

"Alright, I'll watch over things from over here," Gil responded, "I still have a couple of calls to make, I'll talk to you later," Gil cut the conversation and shoved his cell phone back into his pocket.

The last fifteen minutes or so were extremely hectic for the undercover police officer, as he first dialled to the Iselia Police Chief to inform him of the dangers. He then turned to Forcystus, asking him for his orders on Magnius, who seemed to defy Cruxis objectives to lay low until the final attack. Forcystus ended up telling Gil to hold off on any action while he tried to make some sense of the scene being played out.

Gil returned to the Iselia police and told Chief Marshall to inform Palmacosta to send in the Coast Guard. Finally, Forcystus returned the call, telling Gil to do anything in his power to observe Magnius' men, seeing which one had connections to the police, all the while trying to stop Magnius from ruining Cruxis' plans with his hasty move.

Now, with the Coast Guard and even military prepared to take action, Gil had everything set out as planned. "Once they reach the island, Cruxis and law enforcement personnel will clash, Magnius' mission will fail, causing Forcystus to ask us to keep him in check, and lastly I can blame Magnius for not noticing the police mole, all the while keeping my identity safe," Gil murmured to himself. Nodding, he stepped back to the main control room, where Dell and Chatman were still trying to get inside.

"Gil, we still can't get inside," Chatman reported, "What's the foolproof plan that you said you were coming up with earlier?"

Gil raised his hand to calm his partner down. "Just keep an eye on Magnius for now, and we'll see what happens next," Gil explained, "I can tell you the next half an hour or so will be quite a hair-raising experience for the man."

Chatman had an expression on his face that bordered between confused and bewildered. Gil dismissed him, choosing to make his updates to his taller and calmer partner instead. Pulling Dell aside, Gil whispered, "Forcystus said that Magnius was making a mistake either way, it's just a matter of what happens next that dictates what action we take in the next little while."

Dell seemed just as confused as Chatman was a minute ago, but Gil chose to elaborate just briefly. "If law enforcement goes after his guys, we know the mole is in here, and that means we bust him up. If no one goes after him, and he gets to the mana, Forcystus said that Magnius does not have enough experience or equipment to handle all that stuff. That means his mission fails, and we bust him up just as bad," Gil explained.

Dell and Chatman looked at each other quizzically, as neither was convinced of the new plan. But Gil would have no protest, as he stepped back into the doorway with his arms crossed and an arrogant smile plastered across his face. "Magnius, your life is about to get miserable," he stated, chuckling.

* * *

"So this is it: the altar at which the pilgrims of the past will offer their prayers," Raine marvelled. Indeed, erected before the group was the same oracle stone found at the Triet ruins, even the carvings and figures on the two stones were very similar. "Well, are we ready to see another summon spirit?" Raine asked.

The group nodded anxiously as they let Sheena do the work this time. Nobody wanted a repeat of the last summon spirit, where Colette's tripping and Lloyd's collision with the stone nearly broke a very important artefact, not to mention that the summon spirit unleashed its fury on everyone, causing an evacuation. Everyone stood behind Sheena in a small semi-circle, and Lloyd checked his cell phone to ensure that it was off.

The only person that was not completely satisfied or comfortable was Genis, who scampered around the area trying to get a good angle in filming the scene. "I'm not tall enough," he muttered, "I can't get the whole area in the shot." Carefully climbing onto a lower platform of a pillar, he balanced delicately on his heels and slowly lifted the video camera, holding it steady for a better shot.

Genis tried to zoom in the shot into Sheena, and increase the recording volume as Sheena mumbled a bunch of words that were inaudible to him. Suddenly, his hands began to shake and tingle, similar to ice water being dumped onto them. Curious, he placed a harder grip on the camera, but the shaking continued. Undaunted, he gripped his right wrist with his left hand, only to make it worse as both hands shook uncontrollably. At this time, a tingling sensation also shot up his spine, like electricity through a wire.

"Uh, guys, I'm starting to get a weird feeling," Genis stated. That got the attention of Raine, Lloyd, and Colette, who looked at him with concern. "I can't stop shaking, and my spine is feeling a numbing sensation."

Immediately, Frank and his colleague Mark Owen checked the mana gauge, and it was through the roof. "It's just like Triet," Frank announced, "Just before the summon spirit was to appear, mana levels increase and become unstable."

"Not to mention that those sensitive to mana could feel it extra well," Mark added, "according to my past research, those with elfish blood do get a feeling throughout their bodies as this happens. Given the fact that we have two half-elves here, it wouldn't surprise me if they are feeling the mana right now."

"But I'm a half-elf, yet I don't feel anything," Raine replied, "Why does Genis feel the mana and I can't?"

"I think it's because you're not concentrating on the altar," Lloyd explained, "Genis' book told me that to feel the mana, one must have their focus solely on the source of the mana." Pointing at the young half-elf, Lloyd continued, "Genis was trying to focus his video camera on the altar the entire time, so his attention was squarely on the altar. That's why he can feel it much better than you can,"

"Uh, guys, pay attention please, something's coming," Sheena called from the pedestal. Indeed, a swirl of lights combine together, and in a bright flash, a petite, blue-haired female was standing before them. And just like back in Triet, the summon spirit surveyed the scene, causing silence among the crowd.

"This must be Undine, the water elemental summon spirit," Sheena whispered to the group, "Don't do anything weird, I'll try to communicate with her." Turning back to the blue summon spirit, she spoke in a slow, clear manner. "Undine, we have not come to harm this area. We come in peace, and would just like to study the area. Is it possible to have some of your cooperation in this?"

But just before Undine could make a move, an unfamiliar voice from the back interrupted the group. "And that's where you guys will step aside," that voice ordered.

Everybody turned around to see a bunch of people with strange equipment and technology marching into the area. "That's the group from the other research team," Genis realized, "They were pulling into the dock just when we were walking in."

"What other research team?" Mark asked, "I'm only aware of two that are booked to come here today: mine and Frank's."

"That's because we're not here for research, we're here for the mana," the leader of this new group announced. A couple of people holding weapons stepped forward and pushed the research team towards the side of the chamber as the leader continued, "Now just follow our instructions carefully and don't anybody make a move. Otherwise, none of you will make it out alive."

Reluctant to risk being shot, the research group slowly made its way to the wall. One person with a weapon grabbed Genis by his vest and dragged him off the pillar, not noticing that his video camera was still running. "While you're at it, pull out all your cell phones and put them in a pile right where we can see them," the leader continued.

That prompted movement from everyone in the group except for Genis, who did not have his own phone yet. As the young half-elf looked on, the hijackers set a bunch of elaborate equipment all over the area, some of them blinking, flashing and beeping. Secretly, Genis aimed the camera at them, knowing that it might come in handy as evidence for the police or coast guard, should they arrive at all.

The only being that seemed unaffected by the action before them was the summon spirit, as Undine stood relatively still on the pedestal, scanning around and observing the action before her. But it didn't take long before the blue maiden of the mists started changing her facial expression. Because of her relatively human features, her expressions were much easier to detect than Efreet's, and Lloyd's group could see that Undine was getting uncomfortable with all the beeping and flashing equipment.

"How's the mana level right now?" Lloyd could hear the leader of the group ask one of his technicians, "Any signs of instabilities?"

"Mana levels are fluctuating like crazy," the technician replied, "The mana is getting more and more unstable, and it won't be long before the main source, or summon spirit, is out of control."

It took mere seconds for Lloyd's group to piece the ideas together. This group was trying to make the summon spirits lose control of the mana, and letting them take hold of the mana. But remembering the Efreet incident, a summon spirit losing control due to mana instability could also risk the lives of all those in the surrounding area.

Lloyd took the chance to speak up. "You guys are crazy! If you do this, mana instability could cause mana to be unleashed in all sorts of ways! Everyone in the cave will be at risk! Stop this operation at once!" he shouted.

That earned a back-handed slap across the mouth from one of the henchmen near the group. "Quiet, you! Any more out of you and you'd get a bullet right in your temple!"

"But it's true, please listen to us!" Colette pleaded. That was to no avail as well, as she got shoved right back into the group, nearly toppling over a few people. That led to more yelling and shoving from both sides, as neither group was willing to back down from their objective.

The only person who was not involved in the ensuing scrum was Genis. In fact, he was not in the area at all. Taking the chance to sneak off, he found a narrow passageway that led back outside. Video camera still in hand, he hurried out into the daylight, only to see the Coast Guard slowly pulling into the dock. "Thank goodness you got here. We have some type of a hijack inside. A research team is in danger and the tourists on the other side may be at risk as well," he informed the law enforcement team.

Nodding, the lead officer gave his assignments. "Members on Boats A and B will be with me to infiltrate this area. Remember that we have a hostage situation, so approach with caution. Boat C, go to the tourist dock and start evacuating people ASAP."

Within minutes, a tense scene became explosive as the Coast Guard charged into the cave. More shouting and moving ensued, and threats were exchanged from either side. Amid the confusion, Genis could see Undine starting the sway uncomfortably, with strange bits of light going in and out of her body. "Just like the Triet incident," he murmured to himself.

"We've asked once, and we'll ask again: release the hostages, shut down your machines, and march out of this cave with your hands up!" the lead Coast Guard officer blared into the megaphone. Turning to another Coast Guard, the lead officer whispered, "If this doesn't work out, radio for back-up and have them attack from the back."

Suddenly, it dawned on Genis. All the technology and noise were causing Undine to lose control of her powers, and remembering what Raine had said, any device that broadcasted waves would be most dangerous. Grabbing the lead officer by the arm, Genis gave his grave warning. "Don't radio for anything. It'll make the place more unstable!"

Before the lead officer could inquire more of Genis' premonition, the young half-elf already took off for the outside. From the corner of his eye, he could see the tourists slowly being loaded onto the boats, but just as the boats departed, a news crew pulled up.

And before Genis could even blink, he had a camera much larger than the one he held shoved into his face, and a microphone jabbed at his mouth like an ice cream cone. "We're reporting live from Thoda Geyser, a major tourist attraction that has reportedly been attacked by a terrorist group of some sort, and there is a research team supposedly being held hostage right now," the reporter turned to Genis, "We'll see if this youngster can give us any information. What have you seen inside so far?"

"Everybody listen to me and get these things out of here! You're making the area even more unstable with your news antennae and stuff!" Genis yelled, waving his arms frantically. He managed to catch some camera crew entering the cave, and raced towards them trying to keep them out. "Leave now, or we're all going to die!"

Genis' attempt to push the camera crew back out caused a strange altercation to occur between the young half-elf and the news crew. Just as the reporter caught up with him to ask of the danger, a sick groan sounded from the inside. "Oh no," Genis muttered.

* * *

Hm. I never expected Genis to be a cameraman/shutterbug, but when the chapter progressed, I just can't see him let go of his camera. Likewise, I tried to make Lloyd a bit smarter here, knowing that he's been put down to the point of absurdity in the game. It just didn't so realistc to have him completely clueless. And what do you think of Gil playing both sides earlier?

I should really stop rambling, but I'm so excited about the direction this story is heading. Give it a read, your reviews are appreciated.


	8. The Palmacosta Departure

Again, **Dawnstarshine **and **I.K.A. Valian** provided the reviews. Can I address you two as "Those Two" from now on, since you're always there (just kidding)? But anyway, I really like the direction this fic is going so far. You're going to see more of summoning, Forcystus' true motives, Gil's next move in Cruxis and how the police try to hunt down the Cruxis mole. It's going to be a wild ride!

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

"Sir, this just in from the news, it seems like the infiltration group has been caught by the Coast Guard," a Cruxis member reported to Magnius in the main room. Outside in the hall, Dell and Chatman exchanged nervous looks, knowing that this could very well be the work of the police mole. "It's all over the news stations, and they report of some instability in the area. What are your orders?"

Magnius was beginning to get more and more frustrated by the minute. He paced the room like a caged animal, glaring at anyone who dared to approach him. "Keep the mission going! There's no way the Coast Guard can take out our superior technology," Magnius roared, his determination unwavering.

Anybody who challenged Magnius at this point was either met with an angry outburst or a smack across the face. The entire room was tense as supporters of both sides, those urging Magnius to move forward and those asking for a retreat, yelled and screamed at each other. Surprisingly, the only person who seemed to be enjoying all this was Gilbert Irving, as the undercover police officer merely crossed his arms and showed an arrogant smirk on his face. "Uh, Gil, shouldn't we do something?" Chatman asked.

Gil turned to face his partner. "Yes, in fact, we're about to act now," he agreed, "Call up Forcystus and update him on this situation. We'll see how Magnius manages to wiggle his way out of this one. Meanwhile, I have to use the bathroom, so I'll be back."

Chatman looked at Gil quizzically as Gil moved off. He turned to Dell for an answer, only to have the taller half-elf shrug at him. "When you got to go, you got to go, right?" Dell replied. Whipping out his cell phone, Dell dialled in Forcystus' number.

Gil entered the bathroom and locked the door behind him, carefully pulling down the seat of the toilet before sitting down himself. Making sure no one listened, he pulled out his phone and calmly dialled for the Iselia Police Department. After a few minutes, he got in touch with Marshall. "Chief, Gil Irving here. Phase one of the plan went perfectly. Now it's time for phase two: I want you to contact Palmacosta police and tell them to send their SIU, SWAT team and all to this following address…"

* * *

The groaning now became louder, as the cave creaked and rumbled. Looking up at Undine, Genis could see light blue beams of mana shoot in and out of the summon spirit. It did not take long for Genis to realize that this would be the final few seconds before the mana was to be unleashed in one blow.

"Everyone needs to get out of here! The summon spirit is going to unleash its mana!" Genis yelled, "What are you waiting for? Move!"

As those words left the young half-elf's mouth, Undine unleashed a couple of mana beams, hitting the ceiling of the cave. Members of the research team, Cruxis, and Coast Guard ducked for cover as rock and debris tumbled down. The research group, originally positioned at the centre of the cave, ducked and dove in separate ways, causing Sheena to roll closer towards the summon spirit. Glancing around, she could see the machines that were causing Undine the discomfort. Maybe there was a chance to stop this, she thought to herself. Glancing back to see the people beginning to run out, she took a major risk. "Undine, stop!" she shouted at the blue summon spirit.

The maiden of the mists glared downward at Sheena, who crawled up towards her. "I can help you, just try to control your mana, and I'll stop those things that were making you lose control," Sheena assured the spirit.

Undine seemed to have calmed a bit, but was still unstable nonetheless. Taking that as a cue, Sheena hurried around the pedestal and began disabling all the machines that Cruxis had set up. Much to the surprise of everyone, she handled those mechanisms with relatively ease. Within minutes, the summon spirit had stabilized, and the rumbling had ceased completely. A collective sigh of relief could be heard from the cave.

The Coast Guard also ceased the opportunity to strike. While Cruxis members were still gathering themselves, the Coast Guard had apprehended nearly each and every one of them. As they were escorted out of the cave, Undine had turned to Sheena and spoke. "Thank you for your action," she told Sheena calmly, "Had it not been for you, I may have lost control of the mana and caused destruction to this place."

Everybody was in shock as Undine addressed Sheena. The research team whipped out their cell phones and cameras and began snapping pictures. Genis lifted his video camera and clicked record, documenting all of this. "Too bad the Coast Guard stepped out to deal with Cruxis," he muttered to himself, "I think they'd love to see this."

"I…I didn't come here…to harm you," Sheena stuttered, not knowing what to say, "We were on a research mission, and…and…"

"And you have proven your skills to me," Undine concluded for Sheena, "I can see that you have some skills in summoning. At least, the way you called for me at the beginning seemed like you know the arts relatively well."

"I studied it a bit, and I know some stuff about it," Sheena replied nervously, "But I assure you, I'm only here for educative and investigative purposes. I have no intention of taking mana for personal gain or anything like that."

"Very well, then all I will give you is a piece of my mana. That way, you can accomplish your objective without danger." With that, a light shot from Undine and onto the ground before Sheena, forming a strange, glowing sphere on the ground. "It's very stable, even those without elf blood can touch it without getting hurt."

Mark grabbed a box and handed it to Sheena, who gently grabbed it by her finger tips and dropped it in. "Any piece of mana owned by me is a part of my history, and each summon spirit also had certain traits to their elemental," Undine explained, "I hope that by analyzing it, you can understand and appreciate the history that is from the summon spirit of water." Upon saying that, she began to disappear, "I must return to my state, as it is my role to protect the mana of this area."

"Undine, wait!" Raine shouted, "Is it true that you and all other summon spirits have some role to play in the world reunification? And after you unified the worlds, what role do you guys play in keeping the world together?"

"You will soon find out as you study that mana, and my fellow summon spirits across the world…" Undine replied. Then, with a loud whoosh, the maiden of the mists disappeared from the altar, leaving the cave in a strange silence.

Nobody dared to move for the next minute or so, still trying to absorb all the information just released by the blue summon spirit. That silence was interrupted as the lead office of the Coast Guard re-entered the cave. "Ladies and gentlemen, if you please," he began, "I've just received news from the Palmacosta police that they're onto the people responsible for the hijacking, and have requested our witness accounts in their investigation. If you all please be so kind and come with us, I want your testimonies on what you observed during that operation."

As the officer left the cave, the research group looked at each other uneasily. "So, should we tell him about Undine, or not?" Lloyd asked.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the Cruxis headquarters in Palmacosta, Magnius was furious at the botched mission. "There's no way that we could have failed! Who messed up what? Report at once!" he yelled at the members inside.

Dell and Chatman could see from the outside that some members were already dissenting against the Cruxis leader, and had already left the room. Just as these people left, Gil returned from the bathroom. "What's the situation?" he asked.

"The two factions are definitely going at it against each other," Dell reported, "I can see some of those who wanted Magnius to pull out are already leaving, and I doubt those who supported Magnius are going to be on his good side." Pointing at the television at the other room, Dell continued, "It's all over the news now. The Coast Guard just reported apprehending Cruxis' infiltration team, so Magnius is in for it."

"I think we should get out of here while we still have the chance," Chatman added, "By the way, isn't that your son on the news? Is he visiting Thoda Geyser at the time of the invasion?"

Gil turned around, and indeed, Lloyd and his friends were shown being taken out of the cave by the Coast Guard and into rescue boats. Concerned, he took off again. "I'm just going to call my son, update Forcystus on what's going on while I'm gone."

Just as Dell was about to phone Forcystus, he could hear the loud, unmistakable sound of police sirens outside the building. There was some movement and heavy equipment being taken out of the police vans outside, but it would not be long before the megaphone was turned on and the warning was given. "This is Palmacosta police. We have this area surrounded," the captain of the SWAT team announced, "Surrender now and come out with your hands up, or we'll be forced to break in there."

"Jeez, the cops are all over this place!" Chatman shouted, "Dell, what do we do?"

Unmoved, Dell called Forcystus anyway, informing him of the failed mission and the police raiding Palmacosta headquarters, but Forcystus did not seem surprised by this, "I should have known that good-for-nothing oaf Magnius would botch it, and now he's got the cops all over him," the Iselia Cruxis leader replied, "Just keep your eyes open for the person that leaked the info to the police. That may be our mole."

Just then, Gil returned to the hallway. "My son's not answering the phone, so I had to leave him a message," he informed Chatman. Turning to Dell, he signalled for the phone, "Can I talk to Forcystus?"

Dell handed the phone over and Gil updated the Iselia Cruxis leader on the latest scenario. "The cops are about to bust in, and at the same time some people also left the building. They were among some dissenters who didn't want Magnius to go into the geyser. I have a hunch that the police mole may be among them."

"Try and get out before the cops bust in, and then keep an eye on those guys. I have a feeling that Asgard's people may be involved in this as well. I've heard rumours around Cruxis that the Asgard and Palmacosta branches have joined in an alliance, and most likely the police mole is somewhere within this group." With that, he hung up.

Just as Gil returned the phone to Dell, he could hear the police SWAT team begin breaking down the doors. Cruxis members could be heard being taken into custody, as lots of pushing and shouting ensued. Amid the confusion, Magnius seemed to be in total damage-control mode, still trying to keep the group together. Taking this chance, Gil and his partners sprung into action. Charging into the main room, they approached the large half-elf and gave him an ultimatum. "Magnius, you're caught between a rock and a hard place, but you still have a chance. Escape with us and we'll take you to Forcystus so you can still operate under Cruxis, or go up against Palmacosta's SWAT team," Gil warned.

"I'm not afraid of Palmacosta's SWAT team. I can take them out myself," the Cruxis leader roared, grabbing a strange looking staff, "I came up with some ways to manipulate mana myself, and I can use this on the police. I should have known that you Iselia people were cowards, so I don't need you!"

The SWAT team now closed in on the main control room. Sensing the danger, Gil and his partners decided to flee. They reached a side door just as the police tore down the final door to confront Magnius. Unfazed, the large half-elf aimed his staff and cast some type of a spell, causing a jet of flame to shoot out and at the doorway.

Unfortunately, Magnius' experience with mana was limited, and some of the fireballs went astray. While some did manage to stun the police, causing them to exit the room to regroup, a few went in random direction, and one came awfully close to zinging Gil in the face. "Just because you think we're cowards doesn't mean you have to kill us!" Gil shouted as he tried getting back on his feet. He hurried through the side door and slammed it shut, leaning against it to catch his breath.

Dell and Chatman came up to check on Gil, who assured them that he was fine. "That guy has some major issues on his hands, but what else is new?" Gil said, pointing at the door. Lifting his hand to feel his upper lip, he continued, "Thank goodness I gave my goatee a slight trim this morning, or else it'd be scorched off by now."

The threesome slowly made their way through the building as they tried to find an escape exit. Knowing that the police was all over, it would be difficult for them to leave without being spotted. "Gil, you've been here more than we have, do you remember a way out of here?" Dell asked.

The former police officer racked his brain, trying hard to remember what he had done in the Palmacosta region under Cruxis. "I recalled that we had to do some deliveries and pick up pieces of technology," Gil said, eyes squeezed shut, "I recall that we drove some vans that were parked in the basement, and the exit ramp was one that we shared with the building next door. Assuming that they're evacuating the building next door for this operation, we can steal one of their vans and pretend to be some of the evacuees of that building. We'll have to return for our rental car another time. What do you think?"

Seeing that they did not have much of a choice, Dell and Chatman went with the plan. Sneaking into the basement, they began searching for the vans.

* * *

Meanwhile, up in the main control room, a fierce battle was happening between the SWAT team and Magnius, who barricaded himself in the main room with the police standing just outside the door. "It's not going to work if he keeps firing away with that thing," one SWAT team member told his captain, "it's like a flamethrower, and we can't approach without getting burned."

"But seeing how he used it, we know he's not very experienced with it," the team leader replied, "I suggest we try and create a diversion here, and we'll try to take him down from the back," turning to his radio, he signalled for a team to prepare for action from the outside, all the while trying to direct his own team in the operation. Right when everything was confirmed, he stepped forward and gave Magnius another warning. "We know you're in there, and we have you surrounded. Surrender now, or we'll be forced to take drastic action," he shouted across the room.

"I'm not afraid of some pathetic group of humans! I'd rather fight to the death than surrender to the likes of you," Magnius spat, still holding onto the staff.

"Correction, Magnius," the leader continued, "We also have half-elves on our force, some of which are in the SWAT team right here outside your door. All of them are prepared to use force to subdue you if you don't stop this madness."

That only incensed the Cruxis leader more, as he unleashed another round of fire at the SWAT team. The SWAT team leader ducked out the door again. "How's the back-up team coming from the outside?" he demanded.

After consulting with the other side, the radio operator reported, "They're now in position, ready to take action. Your orders?"

"Tell them to fire when ready, we're aiming for the staff that he's holding, and any pieces of machinery that seems to be aiding him," the leader replied, "It won't be long now before we can take this guy out."

The next hour or so was very tense, as the SWAT team brought up a negotiator trying to stall for time. Knowing Magnius was volcanic, they did not want to do anything hasty, yet they wanted to give the snipers all the time they needed to take out the main equipment in the Cruxis headquarters. Some shouting between police members and the Cruxis leader ensued, with the negotiator playing peacemaker. But within minutes, the first shot would be fired, shattering the window but missing the staff's top by a hair.

"What? So that's what this is? The police thinking they can ambush me?" Magnius yelled in surprise. Grunting, he aimed the staff outside, trying to locate the source of the shots. Taking their chance, the SWAT team entered to subdue Magnius. A shoving match occurred, with some SWAT members trying to pry the staff from the Cruxis leader, while the sniper team maintained their position, trying to get a good shot without harming their colleagues. In all this, the staff was pulled too hard towards to wall, and impaled the main generator of the facilities.

Sensing the danger, the SWAT team leader ordered a mass evacuation at once. "That's the main generator, and with whatever power source inside that staff, this could cause an explosion. Everybody get out at once!"

As the SWAT team members tried to apprehend Magnius, the large half-elf merely pulled out another weapon and fired at the SWAT team. A couple of members were injured, causing the team to tend to its own members and tried to get them out of the building. Shots were returned from the SWAT team members outside the door, some of which hit Magnius as the injured members were carried out. As the hurt officers were being tended to, Magnius slipped out the side door, having already taken several shots. Just as he slammed the door shut, his phone rang. Wincing in pain, he gently felt his way into his pocket and whipped out the phone.

"Well Magnius, looks like you've put yourself in quite a jam this time," a crafty toned voice said from the other line, "Your team was taken out by the Coast Guard in Thoda, you have internal dissent with team members leaving during the police raid, and now you've got Palmacosta's police on your tale. Real good impression for a supposedly powerful Cruxis leader, no?"

"What, how did you know about this? Who told you?" Magnius roared, trying to hold back the pain from his wounds.

"It's no secret, really," the voice continued, "Your failed mission at Thoda was broadcasted all through the news, and I'm watching a report of the police invading your headquarters in Palmacosta right now. And in case you're wondering, I never expected your plan to invade the geyser was successful in the first place, so today's result did not surprise me at all."

"What? But you totally approved of this," Magnius tried to plead his case.

"Only to get you off my case," the voice retorted, "Forcystus and I are actually the only ones with the equipment and technology capable of handling Cruxis' important missions. You're nothing more than the money collector, selling stuff to our clients and making sure there's always something in our pockets. There's no way you can succeed in something big like this, no?"

"So, you deceived me…" Magnius panted, coughing out some blood. But he only heard a low tone, as the other side already hung up. Sighing, he realized that there was nothing more he could do. The generators from the other room sparked a couple more times, and finally exploded, engulfing anything surrounding it in a ball of flame.

* * *

About half an hour before the explosion ripped across the building, a grey van burst out of an underground parking lot. Behind the wheel was Gilbert Irving, with Dell and Chatman holding on while seated in the next row. The van raced through the block, heading away from the Cruxis headquarters.

As the group headed onto the streets, they planned their next move. "So we know some Cruxis members were dissenting against Magnius, and some may have escaped, and Forcystus possibly suspects that one of them is the mole," Dell recalled, "So I'm guessing that we should split up and try to keep our eyes on as many of them as possible, although I doubt there'll be any more than five or six."

"I'm guessing they won't be safe, given the fact that the police would be after them for the next few days," Gil pointed out, "I'm guessing some may be headed off to our other regions, such as Asgard, or even Tethe'alla and Iselia. Meanwhile, we have to find somewhere to hide for the next little while."

Gil pulled the van into an older neighbourhood of Palmacosta, and stopped right outside an old bar. Taking a seat at the front, Dell and Chatman tried to calm their nerves from their life risking experience by ordering a beer. "I think we should stay here for the next hour or so," Gil suggested, "It's probably not safe with the police on high alert for Cruxis with that showdown,"

While Dell and Chatman passed their time with drinks and discussions about their life outside Cruxis, Gil remained relatively tense, not ordering anything and keeping his eyes glued to the television. Reports came out throughout the hour, with parts of the police raid shown. The threesome was shocked as the news report showed the explosion tear through the building, yet they partially expected such an ending for the volcanic leader of Cruxis' Palmacosta branch.

Despite that, they still stayed around trying to find out more of Cruxis members leaving Palmacosta as they planned their next move. While they watched the news reports, Dell turned to ask Gil, "How did you know of this cozy little place? It's not often that you can find a bar where the police rarely visit, you know?"

"I remember this place well, since it's where Forcystus brought me for my first meeting with Magnius," Gil recalled, "Kind of ironic, given the fact that I met Magnius for the first time here, and right after seeing him for the last time, we come here again."

Just as he said this, his cell phone rang. One check on the caller ID, and Gil knew he had to take the call. Flipping the phone open, he greeted his son. "Lloyd, I saw you on the news at Thoda being taken hostage, and the Coast Guard going in there to rescue you guys. Are you alright?" Gil asked as a concerned parent.

"Yeah, sorry I couldn't get your call earlier. We were giving our testimonies at the police station and they didn't want us talking on our cell phones while they were doing their interviews," Lloyd replied, "Genis got most of the invasion on camera, so the police will be borrowing his tape for a while. Other than that, we're just fine."

"Alright then, are you planning to stay in Palmacosta for the next little while?" Gil continued asking.

"We'll probably be here for another day or two," Lloyd responded, "Then we're probably moving on to Asgard or Luin or something like that. You should see what we saw at the geyser today, we had another summon spirit named Undine. This time we managed to get her to talk to us and got a souvenir, and Raine plans to study it. Pretty cool, huh?" Lloyd said excitedly.

"I'm glad to hear that you're having fun, and learning at the same time, but make sure you stay safe, because I was genuinely worried about your safety with the hijacking today," Gil replied, "I've got to go now, I'll talk to you later."

Both sides hung up their phones and returned to their original tasks: Gil on his group, while Lloyd returned to the research team. "I managed to call my dad back after he left a message on my cell," he told Colette as he pocketed his phone, "He wanted to make sure that we're alright, and that we got of Thoda safely. What's the news on the next move? Is Raine going to examine the mana piece we got for real? And what about other areas that may be of interest to ruins researchers?"

"From what I heard, Raine and Dad plan to stay in Palmacosta for a couple more days to study the mana and what it could tell us about certain techniques that mana users of the past may have used," Colette explained, "I guess we could stay here for a couple more days, just to see what they found, and what other possibilities they may reveal in other areas where summon spirits may reside. I mean, we didn't really get a chance to check out the city, so why not stay a while?"

Lloyd nodded in agreement. Turning to Genis, he couldn't help but chuckle. "So, the great Genis Sage records a hijacking, a rescue mission, and even a summon spirit transporting mana all in one day. We might as well call you the greatest cameraman in Iselia."

Genis laughed. "Too bad we won't get a chance to look at the tape anytime soon, since the police took it for their investigation. But no worries, I have extra tape with me, and I can still record our activities in Palmacosta the next few days."

Just then, Frank approached the threesome. "I'm really sorry for the commotion back at the geyser. I assure you that I've listened to the advice from the police and will definitely consider higher security measures the next time I take anyone out on a research mission like that. But on a positive note, Raine and I will go with Sheena and Mark to study the mana piece the next few days, and you're more than welcome to join us. Pay the lab a visit the next few days," he suggested.

"Oh, I'm sure we will," Colette answered her father, "but first we need a place to stay. We'll see you tomorrow then."

Frank waved goodbye as a police officer escorted the threesome to Lloyd's MINI Cooper, as the police was kind enough to take it back to Palmacosta from Thoda Dock after the rescue earlier. "Strange," Lloyd mumbled to himself as he grabbed the key from the officer, "when I called Dad, the call did not require long distance. It's as if he were in the Palmacosta region. He never told me he had another business trip, so why's he here?"

* * *

"And why am I not surprised that Magnius is dead? Knowing that oaf, he was bound to get himself into something like this. Besides, it eliminates one of my potential rivals, knowing that he was allegedly trying to go against Cruxis."

That line got the attention of the off-duty captain of the Major Crimes Unit in Iselia, who happened to be taking a leisurely evening stroll in the park. Turning around, he saw Forcystus on a park bench, having a rather intense discussion on his cell phone. "What's he doing out in the open?" the captain asked himself. Sneaking slightly forward, he tried to eavesdrop in on the conversation.

Suddenly, Forcystus got up off the bench. "I got to go," he said, "I have to meet my contact to exchange some important information." With that, he shoved the phone in his pocket and marched off, leaving the captain still standing there in considerable shock.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, the captain decided to follow Forcystus. "Knowing that Gil is gone for another week or two, looks like I'll have to do some spy work of my own," he muttered.

The strange chase continued back into the city, with the captain stalking the half-elf like a predator, yet at times hiding like a prey behind certain objects to avoid being seen. Soon, he tracked Forcystus into a cinema, where the Cruxis leader bought a ticket and dialled on his phone again. "I have the info you want for the mole," he told the person on the other line, "Which theatre are you in?"

The captain's mouth dropped to the ground. So Forcystus was giving information of his men to the mole he sent into the police! "This is my chance," the captain murmured to himself. Sneaking into the corner, he managed to get a better view at Forcystus, who had given his ticket to the usher and entered Theatre ten. Immediately, the captain bought a ticket for the same movie and hurried into the same theatre. Taking a seat at the back, he surveyed the half-empty theatre for Forcystus, very well knowing that any one of these people could be the Cruxis mole sent into Burton's unit.

The lights soon dimmed as the movie started, leaving the captain cursing under his breath as his vision of the crowd was now at a handicap. What's worse was that the movie was filmed mainly in the dark, meaning it was extremely difficult to see inside the theatre. It did not take long for the captain to become increasingly frustrated and agitated.

Things remained relatively normal until about halfway through the movie, about an hour later. The captain could see a tall figure shuffle out of his seat from the middle and into one on the far right, on the other side of the theatre. Suspicious, the captain squinted in that direction, trying to decipher who this person was headed towards. He could see words being exchanged, and a manila envelope was handed off. More words followed, and a few minutes later, the receiver of the envelope stood up and took off, exiting the dark theatre from the fire escape at the front.

Taking that as his cue, the captain sprung into action. Crashing through the main doors like a bull, the captain hustled towards the back exit of the cinema. Pushing out the doors, he was met with a cool breeze as he stepped into the alley, the smells of garbage thrown out by the janitorial staff covering his face. Undaunted, the captain continued his chase, charging out from the side and into the front, only to see his target hop into a cab and sped off into the night. "Darn it!" he cursed, slapping the wall in frustration.

Stepping back into the alley and leaning on the wall, he tried to gather all possible information from that incident. "We know the mole is in SIU, is relatively short, has access to Cruxis and can flush the police mole out. So where does that leave us?" Shaking his head, he turned to leave the area, hoping to catch Burton first thing tomorrow morning to share this information with him.

* * *

Another exchange between Lloyd and Genis in this chapter features an in-game reference. Can anybody find it? Tell me what you think it may be, as well as your comments, in your reviews. Thank you and take care!


	9. The Cop Detection Technique

"Those two" (**Dawnstarshine **and **I.K.A. Valian**) provided the reviews once again. Since neither guessed it, I might as well reveal the in-game reference from last chapter. After certain battles, Genis would ask Lloyd what Lloyd thought of Genis' spell, and Lloyd would call Genis "the greatest sorcerer in Isela." In the last chapter, Lloyd replaced "sorcerer" with "cameraman" in reference to Genis always holding his video camera wherever he goes.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

"The mana piece is placed in a stable condition, in a box with relatively inert properties, so basically nothing can happen to it," Sheena reported as the four researchers began their investigation of the souvenir from Undine. And as usual, Lloyd, Colette and Genis were to join them in dissecting this piece of mana, just as soon as Genis could buy new tape for his video camera first.

Frank and Raine could see Mark and Sheena take out a bunch of strange looking machines and position them around the inert box. Plugging in wires and rearranging the lab bench, the machines blinked on with some weird sounds and lights flashing. "I have to admit, I've never seen such machines before," Frank commented.

"A lot of these are relatively new, thanks to a few grants from some very generous people," Mark explained, "Most of these are the latest technology in analyzing mana, and I'm glad we get to use them firsthand."

"While we're on that subject," Raine chimed in, "I couldn't help but notice that Sheena handled those machines very well back in Thoda, when they were set up to disrupt the mana flow of Undine. Were you ever involved in studying or designing those machines before?"

"Ah, well, I'm not that good with them," Sheena shrugged, trying to stay humble, "It's just I realized I had to do something at that time, or else that cave would become our graves. I just pressed a bunch of stuff and lo and behold, the machines shut down."

At this time, Lloyd and company stepped into the lab. Genis finally bought the long sought after tape and popped it into his video camera. "Okay, we're ready to roll," the young half-elf announced, "Just do what you have to do and I'll record it."

The group chuckled as they returned to the lab bench. Mark and Sheena continued to prepare the machines while Frank and Raine took notes at the end of the bench. Genis positioned himself at the other end and zoomed in his camera into the machines. Lloyd and Colette stood a fair distance away, staring a hole into the inert box, but something told Colette that Lloyd was not at all comfortable here. "Lloyd?" she called.

The brown-haired teen turned to look into the concerned face of his long-time friend. "Is something wrong?" Colette asked, "You seem really out of it today."

Lloyd struggled to hide his expression. Realizing that he had no choice, he decided to tell the truth. "It's just that call from my dad really made me wonder. When I called him back, the number was not long distance, meaning he was most likely in the Palmacosta region. That makes me wonder: if he's around the region, why didn't he tell me he was coming, and why didn't he make a call to me earlier?" Lloyd wondered aloud.

"Maybe he's just busy," Colette replied, "After all, you know how many trips he goes on in his job, so maybe he just forgot to call you upon his arrival."

Lloyd winced. "It shouldn't be, because he hasn't gone on any long business trip for four years, and he's pretty responsible when it comes to calls and confirming whether I've arrived yet or not. Makes me wonder if he's hiding something," Lloyd trailed off.

Colette looked at Lloyd like he had two heads. "You want to clarify that? What makes you think he's hiding something?" the blonde questioned.

"It's just he's been acting really awkward recently. Back in June, when I asked him about his case on my mom's death, he called her the 'initial departure'," Lloyd explained, "Both times with the summon spirits, he seemed to be concerned about the dangers of the situations, such as Efreet blowing his top or the hijack at Thoda, but then he'd act like as if nothing happened. I have a strange feeling like he's expecting everything to just fall in place and happen as they should."

The two's thoughts were interrupted as a certain silver-haired individual stepped up to them. "Uh, you two lovebirds might want to pay attention please?" Genis called out his two teenage friends, "We're about to start analyzing the mana piece."

Shaking from their thoughts, Lloyd and Colette approached the lab bench to get a closer look. Genis also moved from his position from the end of the bench towards to centre to get a wider shot. He now stood beside Raine, who could not help but cock an eyebrow at her younger brother. "Lovebirds?" she asked.

Genis shrugged. "Hey, they've known each other forever, right?" Pressing record again, he intently filmed the inert box as a strange silence fell upon the room. Nobody spoke a word while the analysis proceeded, and all that could be heard were the sounds of the machines. Suddenly, a smell comparable to a burnt barbecue wafted up towards the crowd, causing some winces as the sickening odour reached individual noses.

Then, as sudden as appearance of the smells, the inert box began shaking, causing a lot of the equipment to be knocked into each other. Mark and Sheena began grabbing as many moveable fragile objects as possible and took them out of the way. The shaking now turned to rumbling as the lab bench groaned and creaked, threatening to collapse in on itself like a building in an earthquake. All members present in the room held their breaths, anticipating the grand finale.

However, the grand finale seemed to have faded to a small pop, as the machines merely hissed and cracked. After sputtering a couple more times, everything came to a halt, and the box no longer moved. Sheena stepped forward to the box and took a gander at the readings from the machines. After trying to decipher the results, she looked up at the crowd with a smile. "I think we can officially interpret what the mana piece has to say," Sheena announced, "It's like an old film reel, and it can somehow rebroadcast its message into readable format with these machines before us."

The group nodded in amazement. "Well then, let's get to work, shall we?" Raine suggested, "We have a lot to do to understand what this piece of history is all about."

* * *

"But above all that, you didn't manage to get a good look at the face? That might not be completely helpful to us," Captain Burton analyzed the night-time chase at the cinema from his major crimes counterpart. Although he was sympathetic to the failed attempt, Burton still remained unconvinced that the clues would be of any help.

"But at least we know what type of information Forcystus may have given to his spy, and we can anticipate how long it'll be before Cruxis makes their next move," the captain of Major Crimes replied, "It should also be about time that you send the expert in communications on the case of the Cruxis mole. How's the investigation so far?"

"Unfortunately, due to her lower ranking in the unit, she doesn't have access to most of the important files and computers," Burton explained, "I merely gave her the files of each officer in the unit and ask her to go through them by hand right now."

As the two captains spoke in the office, said communications expert was busily flipping through a bunch of files held in brown folders. But those were not the profiles of each police officer in the Special Investigations Unit. Rather, they were Cruxis members, given to her by Forcystus to check if any of them matched the officers in the unit. She glanced through each one thoroughly, all the while making notes and mumbling to herself about which members may have had police connections.

As she flipped through the pages, there was one person's profile that intrigued her: Gilbert Irving. Not only was he the only human among the higher ranking members of Cruxis, it also stated that he was a police officer for five years before joining Cruxis. Getting suspicious, she grabbed this file and marched off to the police database computer located in the back room of the unit.

Luckily, there was no one in the room at that time, so the officer had all the time in the world to search for the police mole. Scrolling through the screen, she clicked on a few icons. Glancing nervously over her shoulder, she typed in a couple of passwords to access the database for officers involved in special investigations, including those of the undercover sort. Beads of sweat were beginning to appear on her forehead as she clicked the mouse to proceed into the database.

As she accessed the database, a bar was empty, asking her to type in the name of the officer she was looking for. "Irving, Gilbert," she muttered as her fingers pecked at the letters. Clicking the mouse again, she waited for the computer to load the names. But to her horror, such a name did not exist at all. "Strange," she murmured.

Meanwhile, back at the captain's office, Burton raised another concern. "The problem not only lies within the fact that Cruxis' mole may reveal our operations to Forcystus, but the fact that the mole can also search up our databases and possibly find some clues as to who the mole that the police sent into Cruxis may be."

"Actually, you don't have to worry about that," the captain assured Burton, "I have seen to it that the police mole does not have any electronic records accessible by any unit's computers. The only one that can get through it is the one in Chief Marshall's office, and only he and I know the password to the mole's files. That also means that the chief and I are the only people to know the true identity of the mole," he concluded.

Burton's face became relaxed, relieved to hear that the police's plans were defended quite well. "Let's hope we can keep it that way," Burton said, "I don't mind being kept in the dark about the mole's identity, if it helps to keep our operation intact."

Back at the archives, the communications expert kept on trying the computer, looking through every database possible for not just Gil, but every other Cruxis member that worked with him in the past, in hopes of locating any clue. Yet every time she tried, the computer returned with the same reply: "No results on this database." It was as if the machine was taunting her fruitless efforts. Finally, she conceded and admitted defeat, grabbing Gil's Cruxis file and heading back to her desk.

As she reorganized the files and put the Cruxis profiles away, the two captains walked past her desk on their lunch break. "Hard at work, I see," Burton observed, "Keep it up. It won't be long before the Cruxis mole is flushed out."

The petite female officer smiled as the captains moved past. But deep down, she knew that the following days would become extremely tense, as she tried to hide her identity, and at the same time appear to be making progress on the investigation into the identity of the Cruxis mole in the SIU.

* * *

"Okay guys, what news do we have on the Cruxis members remaining from the Palmacosta branch? Let's start listing them off."

Gil and his partners were at a café just on the outskirts of Palmacosta. It was three days since the death of Magnius, and the threesome were ordered by Forcystus to keep an eye out for any Cruxis members from the Palmacosta branch that might have been of suspicion to the group. Knowing that some members might have been from other areas and could be carrying out orders of their respective leaders, nobody that left the building alive could be eliminated as a potential traitor. Above all, there was still the possibility that the police mole escaped as well, and might be on the way to other Cruxis bases.

"The two guys I was observing were remaining relatively low key so far," Dell reported, "I haven't seen anything suspicious from either person. I doubt they're the so-called traitors or the police mole."

"The guys I tracked ended up in police custody," Chatman announced, "Or should I say, they ended up surrendering after the police threatened to bust their place down."

Gil shook his head. "How do we know that they didn't turn themselves in because they were the moles? After all, they could make it look like they were still hard line Cruxis members until the opportune time for them to reveal their secrets to the cops."

Chatman smirked. "I knew you were going to say that, and that's why I evaluated them with my fool-proof strategy in detecting police officers. It's never failed me in the past, and I doubt it failed me this time."

Gil cocked his eyebrow, but knowing better than to question the sometimes loose-cannon Chatman, he turned to describing the people he tracked. "The ones I was after were indeed sent here from Asgard. From what I heard they were to leave town sometime today. So they could be the ones we're looking for, and I'm guessing the police mole may use this opportunity to ditch Palmacosta as well."

They sat there for a while in silence, mulling over all that had been said. It was a fair conclusion to say that the threesome was still nowhere close to the answer that they seek, but at least there was a place to start. Sighing, Gil got up from his chair and pulled out his cell phone. "I think it's only right that we let Forcystus have the last call," he decided. Seeing that his partners did not stop him, he left to make the call.

While Gil was calling, Dell turned to Chatman. "So what's your almighty theory on how to accurately detect whether someone is a cop or not?" he asked, sceptical and curious at the same time.

Chatman had that arrogant smirk return to his face again. "It's simple," he lectured the taller half-elf, "When someone appears to be really concentrated at what they're doing, but occasionally sneak peeks at your direction, then you know they have to be cops."

Dell glanced around the area, and saw relatively few people doing what Chatman had described earlier. "So are you telling me that there aren't any cops here then?"

"What do you expect? Some café in the middle of nowhere isn't exactly an area that a police officer may go, now is it?" Chatman retorted, "You should try areas where there are more people, and check out how many of them are looking your way, then you'll know exactly what I'm talking about."

Just as Dell was about to try again, Gil returned and interrupted their trains of thought. "I just got orders from Forcystus, he said that the next most likely targets are probably the ones that are from Asgard, and told us to go there as soon as possible," he reported, "I say we go back to our room, return the rental, and try and get bus tickets to Asgard by tomorrow morning."

Dell seemed intrigued by the new orders, but Chatman was celebrating like mad. "See, I told you, even Forcystus agrees with my theory that the guys in Palmacosta were the cops. Who's the man now, Dell?" he taunted his partner.

Dell could only cover his face as Chatman did a victory dance of some sort. Gil cocked an eyebrow at the theatrical two. "Did I miss something here?" he asked.

* * *

"Well, our last night in Palmacosta, how do we want to spend it?" Lloyd asked as he assembled with Colette and Genis.

"We're still going over some of the stuff that the research team managed to learn from that mana piece," Genis answered, "from what I see, a lot of the info seems to be very important in applying it to studying other ruins."

After three days of studying the mana piece, the research team managed to get quite a lot of information from Undine. They learned that the summon spirit of the water elemental was, like all other summon spirits, part of the make-up of the world, with the mana controlled by each spirit serving as a link to keep the world together. Likewise, each summon spirit in Sylvarant had a counterpart in Tethe'alla, and Undine's happened to be Volt, the electric summon spirit. Unfortunately for Genis, there was nothing from the mana that could teach him any new spells, although knowing that the water element was available to him made him feel better.

"I heard Raine was trying to see how these pieces work in the restoration of health and healing cuts and wounds," Lloyd recalled, "any news on that?"

Colette nodded. "Both Dad and Raine plan to study more on that with their research, and that would continue in Asgard, where another possible resting area for summon spirits is present at Balacruf Mausoleum."

Lloyd winced. "A mausoleum? Why would these summon spirits choose to hide in a place for the dead? Royal dead, if I may add, since it's a tomb for former kings, no?"

"Wow Lloyd, you actually remembered an old history lesson. Good for you," Genis complimented him sarcastically, "Anyway, both Dr. Brunel and Dr. Owen are pretty set on exploring there. They're trying to get permission as of we speak, so they may join us in Asgard in the next few days."

Lloyd clacked his tongue and shifted his gaze away from his friends. Although he tried not to show it, but part of him did not want to leave Palmacosta yet, not when the mystery of what his father could possibly be doing in the city still unsolved.

As if she could read his mind, Colette tried to assure her long time friend. "I'm sure everything with regards to your dad is just a misunderstanding," she soothed, "If anything, I think he's busy doing his job and will be going back to Iselia in no time. If anything, you should try to access a computer and email him some of the pictures you took of Undine and Thoda Geyser."

Lloyd smiled. "You're right, maybe I'm just being paranoid. So why don't we enjoy our last night here? Let's do something fun, shall we?"

The next morning, the threesome quickly packed and loaded their bags into the blue MINI Cooper. While Lloyd stacked the back, Colette was busy calling her father. She managed to confirm that the four members of the research team were to go to Asgard with them, and they were leaving by bus later on in the day. "So assuming that we leave now, we should get to Asgard later afternoon, and they'll arrive in the evening," Colette concluded, putting her phone away.

Lloyd nodded. "Do they want any help with their stuff? I can just drop by the bus station and help them out," he offered.

Genie and Colette did not object to that suggestion, as Lloyd drove his vehicle to the bus depot and pulled into a parking spot. He turned off the engine while Colette spoke on her phone with her father. "They should be here in about an hour," she reported, "so I guess we could stick around for a while."

Meanwhile, inside the station, Dell and Chatman waited patiently while Gil went to return the rental car. Coming to the half-elves with bus tickets in hand, he informed them that their bus was to leave in an hour and a half, and they must check in no later than twenty minutes prior to that. The two half-elves nodded and returned to surveying the scene, trying out the new cop-detection technique that Chatman proposed earlier. "Look at this place, with all these people," Chatman marvelled, "I say this is a good area for you beginners to master my technique. It's not often that you get a great chance to practice, you know."

Gil shook his head. "Suit yourselves," he mumbled, pulling out a book from his bag. It was his wife's first novel, and ever since the captain made the reference to it back in the undercover mission, he could not help but read it again. Gil had to admit that his career as an undercover police officer really took its toll on him for the last ten years, as the death of his wife, compounded with raising Lloyd by himself and the constant lies to everyone around him to hide his identity, really gave Gil's confidence a pounding. Yet the place where he had found the most comfort was in his wife's novel, as the characters all showed some traits reflecting his current situation. It was as if his wife foreshadowed his undercover career and dictated each event through some indirect method.

About an hour into the novel, a new group of people entered the bus depot. "I'm glad you guys decided to drop by and help us out, we really need it since we will be bringing some rather sensitive field equipment to Asgard." That voice seemed very familiar to Gil, who lowered his book from his face to find the source of that voice.

"No worries, Raine," another voice said, "Colette, Genis and I aren't in a hurry to get to Asgard anyway." Gil glanced at the doorway and saw Raine arriving with Lloyd, followed closely by Frank, Colette, Genis, and two others he did not recognize.

The former police officer cursed under his breath. "I can't let those guys know what I'm doing here, it'd ruin everything," he muttered to himself. Putting away his book, he stepped away from the bench and marched towards the bathroom. On the way, he discretely kept his eyes on Lloyd, who was helping the silver-haired half-elf with some bags and boxes. That'll keep him busy for a while, Gil thought.

Instead of entering the bathroom, Gil marched to the pay phone and picked it up. Pretending he was in a serious conversation, he tried to hide his face behind the flap of the phone area, all the while sneaking peaks over it to get Lloyd and Raine's positions. His actions resembled those of trench warfare, although it was not nearly as violent, but definitely just as tense and suspenseful.

"I'll take it from here, Lloyd," Gil heard Raine tell his son, "I have to check if Frank got the bus tickets yet." Glancing at his watch, he saw that it was almost time for him to check his group into the bus terminal as well. Doing a virtual map in his head, he tried to locate a perfect route to the check-in terminal while avoiding the research team at the ticket purchase area.

But just as Gil was to put the phone back, Lloyd suddenly changed directions, and began marching towards him. "Just give me a minute, Colette," he called to the blonde, "I have to use the bathroom first."

Sensing the danger, Gil turned his head back to the phone and pulled out a pen, pretending to write down the phone number. "Can you say that again, I can't hear you very well," Gil shouted into the phone just as Lloyd moved past him. Right when Lloyd entered the bathroom, Gil slapped the phone down and hustled out to the check-in centre.

Luckily, the line there was quite short, and Gil managed to get their seats and tickets administered quickly. Clutching the tickets, he gave them back to Dell and Chatman, all the while trying to keep his back to the research team to ensure that he was not seen. Dell merely pocketed the ticket, but as Chatman grabbed his ticket, he said something quite shocking. "You're a cop, right Gil?" he asked.

"I'm…I'm sorry?" Gil stuttered, caught completely off guard.

"Everything you did earlier tells me you're a cop," Chatman continued, "When you were going to the bathroom, you were looking around quite a lot. And when you were at the tickets area just then, you were trying to spy on someone. Even when you were walking back, it seemed like you were hiding something. In my theory, all those actions constitute an undercover cop."

Dell waved a hand. "Ignore that, he's just trying out his weird cop-detection technique, that's all. I doubt it works." Picking up his bags, he pointed at the gate, "I suggest we get moving, just to beat the rush of people going in later on." He motioned to Gil and Chatman to pick up their bags and start filing into the gate. Dell would go through first, followed closely by Chatman, with Gil bringing up the rear.

Just as Gil was about to go through the gate, Raine made a turn to the bathroom, and Lloyd was on his way back out. Both people happened to be just adjacent to Gil as the former police officer was getting his ticket checked, and both happened to catch a glimpse of the side of Gil's face. "Is that my dad going through that line?" Lloyd wondered aloud, craning his neck to see better.

Raine was also aware of the situation as she turned her head to watch the tall, dark-haired figure march into the terminal. "Yeah, now that you mention it, that person does look a lot like your father," she agreed with Lloyd.

"So that confirms my suspicions," Lloyd said affirmatively, "My dad was here in the Palmacosta region the entire time. So why was he hiding?"

Raine looked at Lloyd with scepticism, prompting Lloyd to explain the phone call situation as well as the strange behaviour to her. Raine listened with some interest, but was hesitant to jump to a conclusion. "I don't think it's right for you to suspect your dad of purposely misleading you, but I do wonder why he didn't call you when he got to Palmacosta, and the reasoning behind him using such uncommon language," she pointed out, "But wherever he's going, I don't think we can track him, unless it's Asgard, of course."

Lloyd led Raine to the terminal where he thought he saw Gil walk through. One look at the sign above it confirmed the point of contention: indeed, the bus being boarded right now had Asgard as the destination. "You know, before my dad took this new job, he used to be a police officer, that means he was quite a sleuth," Lloyd told Raine, "But now, it looks like I may have to do some sleuthing of my own."

As Lloyd was about to march off, he turned to Raine one last time before they left for Asgard. "You'll help me keep this a secret, right?" Lloyd asked in a hopeful manner.

After pondering it over for a minute, Raine agreed. "I do wish to get to the bottom of this. Knowing that your father is a family friend, I am quite worried about this, so I'll keep it a secret for you. In fact, I'll even help you."

Lloyd smiled and nodded, relieved to hear that he had a reliable ally in this quest. Thanking the female half-elf, he fetched Colette and Genis from the research team, who were finished unloading all their sensitive equipment. The threesome waved goodbye to the researchers and left the bus depot, hopping back into Lloyd's MINI Cooper and going back on the highway again, destination Asgard.

* * *

Shortly after Lloyd's MINI Cooper left the bus depot, the bus Gil and his partners were on also pulled out of the station. Gil was seated on the left side of the bus, with an empty seat beside him, while Dell and Chatman were at the same row, but on the right. "So Gil," Chatman began, "You've worked in Asgard before. What's their leader like?"

Gil turned to face the half-elf. "Kvar was quite a demanding character, but he doesn't try to get your loyalty in the way that Magnius does, which was through intimidation," Gil explained, "Rather, he's willing to do it through some very sick and twisted techniques, which ultimately shows his extreme cruelty towards those disloyal to him."

Dell and Chatman nodded in silence. Realizing that Kvar might be an even bigger obstacle than Magnius, it would be difficult for them to accomplish their mission. "So how did you manage to gain his trust?" Dell asked, "It's not like someone that Forcystus sent in was going to be welcomed with open arms, especially a human."

Gil smiled. "It wasn't easy, but I had to really get through to showing the guy that I'm useful to him, and that means accomplishing missions at a success rate that he's never seen before. You see, back with Magnius, I could manipulate him into trusting me, since the great oaf is probably not very good at concealing his motives. I told him that I used to work in the police force and I know how the police operate, and that I could advice him on his missions so that he could gain the upper hand."

"See? Maybe that's why he still acts like a cop, it's because the police instinct never left him in the first place. Your police detection technique doesn't work if the guy was a cop to begin with, so Gil's not a cop, he just used to be one." Dell took a shot at Chatman, who only shrugged and avoided eye contact.

"But since we're here for a different purpose, let's start discussing strategy. We know that Kvar is much more calculating than Magnius, and with that little incident at the geyser being broadcasted over the world, he's going to be much more careful. Obviously, our technique with Magnius, which was to try and use Forcystus' orders on him, will not work as well here. We must find another weakness in Kvar's group that we can exploit in order to get the job done," Gil firmly insisted.

"We know that Magnius was partially caught off guard when the Coast Guard appeared during his operation and put his plans to the fire, so even if Kvar had men and technology that can be used on such missions, he's unlikely to act," Dell winced, "It seems like he's pretty impermeable right now, and with the amount of backroom deals and rivalry going on, I doubt he'd let us investigate in fear of losing the advantage to Forcystus in the Cruxis hierarchy,"

At this time, the always unpredictable Chatman spoke up. "What if we cause some trouble from within?" he suggested, "I say we stir up some strife, and divert Kvar's attention from us. That way, his defences are dropped, and we can go in for the kill."

"And I suppose you're the one to cause this strife?" Gil retorted, causing Chatman to go silent, "I don't think we should worry too much about it right now. I'm sure once we analyze the situation at Asgard, we'll think of something." With that, he adjourned the meeting and leaned back against his seat, closing his eyes. It was already a tiring few days in Palmacosta, and the days following would be even more challenging.

* * *

Gil's two half-elf partners seem to be serving as some comic relief there, although the cop-detection skill may come in handy in later chapters. More exciting action follows, so keep reading and reviewing!


	10. Familiar Rivals

"Those Two" (**Dawnstarshine** and **I.K.A. Valian**) and **Fenrir of the Shadows** provided the reviews. To address the concerns of Dawn and I.K.A., I have added a bit more humour in this chapter. Look for the jokes about a MINI Cooper and a senior's discount. As for Fenrir, I'm glad you put this story as one of your favourites, and I would like to assure you that if you read and review as frequently as Dawn and I.K.A., I will include you in the mention and switch "Those Two" into "These Three".

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

_A younger Gilbert Irving was at the Asgard headquarters, listening to the orders given by Kvar, the Cruxis leader in Asgard. After a successful three years in Palmacosta with Magnius, Cruxis felt it was time to allow Gil to take part in more complex missions, and Forcystus sent the former police officer here. "Once all of these things have been taken, we will load them onto the vehicle, and then we will take them to the truck just outside of town, in a remote location where we can then send them to Magnius," Kvar explained in a low and somewhat slurred tone, "This could be beneficial to our group, since the Palmacosta branch is much larger than ours. By doing this deal, Magnius is providing us with some much needed funds."_

_As the group broke out to their positions, Gil trudged along, bringing up the rear. Realizing that his wife Anna was killed because she found out about Kvar's first attempt to establish Cruxis in Asgard, Gil was reluctant to take the mission to work under Kvar, knowing that returning to the last place she visited before her death would cause him much pain. But yet the only way to gain more trust by Cruxis members was to perform well, and Gil realized this was his chance to impress Forcystus and gaining an upper hand in his undercover mission._

_Just before he stepped out, he took one last look at Kvar. The white-haired half-elf gave him one of the tougher roles, as he was in charge of coordinating the Cruxis vehicle through the streets of Asgard to ensure that it reached the truck. Somehow, he felt that Kvar was, like Magnius, wanting him to fail and used it as an excuse to get rid of humans in Cruxis. Knowing Kvar was crueller and more demanding than Magnius, the mission must be flawless to have any shot at gaining trust. _

_On the streets, Gil worked quickly and efficiently, guiding the Cruxis van to its destination and picking up the goods. All went well until sirens could be heard from the distance. The group turned to the streets and saw a series of police vehicles fly by. Before long, a blockade was set up, the police intent on searching every vehicle that came by that area. "I better call Kvar on this," the lead member of the Cruxis team muttered as he stepped away from the van, "Keep packing, you guys."_

_Gil also took the chance to step away from the scene. "Being the route planner, I have to find out another route for us to get out," Gil explained, "You keep packing while I consult my map." Just as he was out of sight and hearing distance from the group, he dialled for Chief Marshall in Iselia. "Chief, just because I told you Cruxis was making an exchange doesn't mean you send in a road block. I'm still trying to gain their trust here, and it doesn't send a good message if this mission ended up being botched," Gil snapped._

_"Hey, it's not my idea. I can't control the Asgard police department, you know," Marshall pled his case, "All I can say is whatever alternative you think of, I will try and forward that to Asgard and tell them to let you off the hook."_

_"Chief, they're blocking off all vehicles and checking each and every single one, there's no way they'll let our van off the hook," Gil retorted desperately, "I doubt they'll have any exceptions on that, unless it's…"_

_"Unless it's what?" Marshall shouted from the other line, "Gil, what's going on over there? Can you hear me?" _

_But Gil was too busy observing his map that he forgot that he was still on the line. Just a couple of blocks on the other side of the blockade was a hospital, meaning there were ambulances that move in and out of that block. What if I tried that, Gil thought to himself. Turning back to the phone, Gil told the chief, "Can you check with Asgard if they make an exception to emergency vehicles going through a blockade?"_

_As he slapped his phone shut, Gil hurried back to the group and told them to take their goods out of the Cruxis van. The leader of the group, who returned just before Gil did, immediately got suspicious. He was about to question Gil when the former police officer raised his hand. "I have a better plan," Gil offered, "And from experience in knowing how police blockades work, this plan will succeed."_

_The half-elves looked at their field leader, who reluctantly shrugged and told the group to unload the goods. As Gil marched towards the hospital, he got the call from Marshall confirming his inquiry. Smiling, he marched to the hospital and, when nobody was looking, hopped onto an ambulance. Grabbing the keys from the glove department, he calmly started up the engine and roared out of the garage. Luckily, many ambulances were on duty at the time, and no one saw to it that Gil was, in fact, stealing one. Rather, they all thought he was another driver off to attend to another medical emergency._

_A few minutes later, he would reach the roadblock. Explaining to the officers that he had a medical emergency beyond, he managed to get a free pass to their equipment. Gil backed the ambulance into the alley and opened the back. "Put all the stuff inside," he instructed, "And then tell Kvar that we'll be on the way."_

_The field leader marched up to Gil. "Hold on, are you sure this will work? I don't think this plan is entirely foolproof," he challenged Gil._

_"Look, I know that we haven't known each other for very long, and given the fact that I'm not a half-elf means the distrust is even greater, but we have one shot to get this done," Gil pointed out, "Are you in it or not?"_

_"Fine, but I'm keeping my eye on you, human," the leader replied, "I'm riding in the ambulance with you." He was about to step to the door when Gil grabbed him._

_"You're not riding as my passenger," Gil stated, marching the leader to the back, where the group just finished loading on the equipment, "You're riding as my patient. In fact, we're going to have the original group that was to go into the van to be paramedics. Can everyone please get on?" He motioned as the leader was put onto the stretcher._

_As the team got into position, Gil taxied the ambulance back onto the main road. Again, stopping at the blockade, he showed the police the stretcher in the back, which got him a free pass again. Once they got onto the highway headed to the truck, it was smooth sailing as the goods were loaded onto the truck. Once the truck left for Palmacosta, the group could not help but be admired at Gil's quick thinking. "For a human, you're not half bad," the leader complemented, "I ought to give praise of you in front of Kvar."_

_Gil nodded. "Meanwhile, I'll just return the ambulance and make sure no one would suspect anything," he informed the group as he hopped back on. As he drove off, he called Iselia again. "Chief, the goods are in the truck and heading for Palmacosta. Tell the cops on that side to get ready to intercept, and tell Asgard paramedics that I thank them for their ambulance, as that might have just guaranteed my stay in Asgard."_

"Gil, wake up, we're just about to enter Asgard," Dell shook Gil's shoulder as he tried to wake Gil on the bus.

Gil shook his head to clear up his mind as he recounted his first days in Asgard, and the mission that would ultimately earn him some trust in Kvar's group. Not only had he succeeded in delivering the goods out of Asgard, but the truck was indeed intercepted before the goods reached Magnius' hands, courtesy of Palmacosta police. Kvar did not blame Gil for that, choosing to blame Magnius for his sloppy work instead. Rather, Kvar praised him for his good work and began letting him lead some missions in the latter part of his three-year tenure in Asgard's Cruxis branch.

"I think the first thing you have to do is to get cleaned up," Chatman pointed out, "You look like you're in a mess right now. But then again, aren't we all, with this police mole business and Magnius going boom?" he chuckled at the self-deprecating humour.

Gil sighed. It was also after that experience that he began changing his physical appearance, which included the goatee and the different wardrobe. Knowing the daring heist might have made him a marked man in Asgard, he went with the change to make it easier for himself to camouflage with the crowd. Luckily, it paid off, as he never needed to address Asgard police even once, not counting the times he got Marshall involved.

* * *

A few hours after Gil's arrival, Lloyd's MINI Cooper would pull into the Asgard region. As per Lloyd's request, Colette gave her father a call to see where the bus was at. "They're going to be coming in a couple of hours later, so they told us not to wait, and just go on doing whatever we wanted to do here," Colette reported, hanging up the phone, "Sheena also said she might need to pick up some stuff in Luin first, so I'm guessing that they won't be going to the Mausoleum for a couple days,"

"Hey, I've always wanted to go to Luin," Genis chimed in, "I heard that back in the days of reunification, that city was destroyed, but was rebuilt by the reunification group themselves. I heard they even had an entire museum dedicated to showcasing that topic. I've got to go visit it," he insisted, rubbing his video camera, "Not to mention get some good footage of the stuff in there."

"Well, I'm glad you guys are enjoying yourselves, especially with the visits to all these exotic sites," Lloyd commented, sighing. Here was another city where his father spent the majority of his time in back when he was on his "business trips," and Lloyd was beginning to think that his father knew the directions in these cities better than he knew what Lloyd did at school. What's more, this was the city that his mother had last visited before her death, which stirred up some emotion for the spiky-haired teen.

Such a change in expression was not unnoticed by Lloyd's passengers, who read his face like a book. "What's wrong, Lloyd?" Colette asked, "Why so glum?"

Lloyd sighed again, realizing that there was no way he could hide the secrets. He explained to his friends what went through his mind, and how visiting Asgard truly made him feel. "It's just that it part of me is excited and wants to find out all the places that my dad has been to, but part of me is saddened by the fact that I may be walking through the last steps of my mother's life. I'm really in conflict with myself right now, wondering what type of attitude I should bring into this city. Know what I mean?" Lloyd asked.

"I guess you can consider yourself a lucky person to experience such something this unusual," Colette pointed out, "You get to experience the days and walk the so-called footsteps of both parents at the same time. I guess it can also bring closure, knowing that your mother accomplished lots by publishing her first book. I don't think anything can be more rewarding than that."

"Let's put it this way: sooner or later you're going to have to go through that stage in life where you try and find your roots. Consider this a chance for you to reconnect with your mother, since you haven't had that chance for ten years. If this doesn't bring closure to you, then I don't know what will," Genis added.

Lloyd nodded, trying to digest what his friends had to say. It was true that by knowing more about his mother's presence in Asgard it could bring closure, but would he be any closer to finding out what Gil was doing? Besides, they left Palmacosta knowing that he boarded a bus to Asgard, so what were the chances that he could run into his father and confront him with the information? Shaking his head and shoving the thoughts away, he returned to focusing on the road as it snaked its ways through the mountains and hills, and ultimately to into the city of Asgard.

* * *

"Look, just how many people are coming to Luin? Can anybody please give me an accurate number?" Lloyd demanded as the group met in the hotel parking lot. Lloyd originally expected to have Colette and Genis join him in touring Asgard, but Sheena insisted in dropping by Luin, and was intent to bring Mark along.

Further complicating the issue was when Raine wanted to tag along as well, and due to a tight budget, did not feel renting a car would be economical. Seeing that Lloyd was the only one with a vehicle, she requested that Lloyd be the driver to take them to Luin, which did not make the spiky-haired teen very happy, considering the fact that Raine did not have a good history of reimbursing people when she asked them for their help, particularly with transportation. "I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Raine," Lloyd repeated his words from Iselia, "you're the biggest cheapskate in the world!"

"Luin itself has a lot of interesting historical artefacts as well, and there's no way we can give up studying it, even if it means using more gas," Raine retorted, "Besides, we already promised to reimburse a quarter of the gas money. Isn't that enough?"

"First of all, you and Sheena are amongst two of the five passengers in the car, and with your heavy equipment in the back, I say that should take up about half of what the car carries. Anything less than a half reimbursement is insufficient. Secondly, I'm not fitting your heaviest equipment in, or I might as well drive without back tires, considering how the stuff can crush my car. Thirdly, if Dr. Owen jumps in I have six passengers, and that's one person too much. It's called a MINI Cooper, Raine, not a Giant Cooper!"

Finally, after some intense debate, Mark chose to bow out from the trip, staying in Asgard with Frank to plan their expedition into Balacruf Mausoleum. That left Sheena and Raine to join Colette, Genis, and a not-too-pleased Lloyd in the journey to Asgard. Luckily, Sheena was willing to compromise and bring less equipment to Luin, meaning Lloyd did not need to worry about changing his tires. Gasoline-wise, Raine did not relent completely, only promising to reimburse a third of the money.

"Why couldn't you just convert your car into a hybrid?" Colette asked Lloyd as Raine and Sheena loaded the back, "I heard the MINI Cooper is compatible with an engine that lets you use gas more efficiently. Wouldn't that solve your problem?"

"My problem is not with gas," Lloyd replied, "It's with a certain half-elf being too cheap for her own good. She and her 'I got to analyze history' antics are getting on my nerves, and me being against it is a matter of principle. She got so much time to care about archaeology but not enough to care about the gas tank? Give me a break!" Lloyd snorted as he entered the driver's seat, "Besides, it's probably too expensive to convert."

"Actually, my grandma knows someone that can convert engines for a relatively cheap price," Genis pointed out as he stepped into the back seat, "I recalled Grandma getting her car converted into a hybrid for a discount. Maybe you should try it out?"

"What type of a discount did your Grandma get?" Lloyd asked, curious to know.

"A senior's discount," Genis said, as he and Colette burst into laughter.

"How old do you think I am?" Lloyd yelled, "I'm turning seventeen, not seventy!"

"Well, give it a try anyway, okay?" Genis suggested, trying to suppress his laughter. Lloyd could have sworn that if the half-elf tried any harder to contain it, Genis would split apart at the seams. However, if Genis continued laughing, Lloyd would make Genis ride the trip tied to the roof. Nevertheless, the silver-haired boy continued, "I'm sure Grandma would put in a good word for you and get a price cut."

Lloyd groaned and banged his head on the wheel as Sheena and Raine hopped into the back. With a roar of the engine, the MINI Cooper pulled out of the parking lot and onto the streets, destined for Luin. But little did the group know that they were being watched the entire time. A mysterious figure stepped out from the alley and dialled on his phone. "Sir, our target is indeed in Asgard, and they're heading towards Luin as of we speak. They may be regrouping with the leader," he informed the other line.

After a few minutes, the figure nodded again. "Alright, we'll send a few vans to Luin and see what they're up to. I think somewhere between fifteen to twenty people will be enough, just in case we need to attack." With that, he hung up and hurried off.

* * *

"Keep a close eye on them, and bring a fair number of people with you. When they contact each other, you can disrupt and invade their operation immediately," the white-haired man ordered. Gil looked on uncomfortably as the phone conversation endured, as if taunting his efforts to have the older man pay attention to him.

Then, as suddenly as the phone rang, the dialogue ended with a distinctive click as the receiver was put back into its place. "So, Gil, what were you trying to say earlier?" the white-haired man asked in a sickeningly degrading tone.

"Forcystus was mentioning how there may be spies appearing in parts of Cruxis, as the Iselia branch was infiltrated by the police. With a mole in our group, it's becoming increasingly difficult to carry out our operations. Due to that, he sent me here along with two others to check if similar events have been happening in Cruxis' other branches," the former police officer explained, "We saw what harm it did to Magnius, and I do anticipate that it's a matter of time before you're hit, Kvar."

Kvar smirked and gave that disturbing chuckle under his breath. "Magnius was a fool, thinking that by being in an alliance with me, that he can gain the upper hand. But in all fairness to him, he wouldn't be making it on his own. I consider him lucky to last this long, both in the alliance with me and in Cruxis as a whole," he sneered.

Gil tried to stay emotionless, knowing that it would put him at a disadvantage. The situation in the room was like a chess match, with each move potentially crucial in determining the outcome of the battle. "Again, all I can say is this: if it can happen to Forcystus and Magnius, it can happen to you," Gil pointed out firmly.

"Well, I suppose you're right, considering the fact that Magnius isn't with us any longer," Kvar replied, emotionless as well, "It was quite foolish of him to attempt things that were by far out of his reach, such as the Thoda Geyser incident."

Gil stared nails into Kvar, trying to read his expression and anticipating his next move. "The story I heard from the two or three members that I've sent into Palmacosta told me that there was indeed some communication with the authorities, meaning there was a spy with Magnius," Kvar continued, "Unfortunately, the great oaf was not smart enough to notice. I, on the other hand, have taken note that there is a rival group located nearby, and that they have been targeting me for the last two or three years. That's why I have decided that a Cruxis team will go into Luin to, let's say, eliminate said rival?"

Again, Gil remained silent, which prompted another make-you-uncomfortable chuckle from Kvar. "Relax, I have more faith in my men than I have on Magnius. I'm sure the end results will be just as explosive as Palmacosta, except it's the rivals that will be all lit up. Just keep your eyes on Luin, you won't be disappointed."

Conceding defeat, Gil stepped out of the room and back out to the streets, where his two partners were waiting for him. "No dice," he reported, "Kvar won't listen to a thing I say, and he's focused on attacking Luin instead. He said something about a rival group that was after him for the last few years being located there?"

Dell looked down, dejected, while Chatman's response was quite the opposite. "I say we cause some trouble right now," he suggested, determined to proceed, "I say we go in there and mess everything up, and force Kvar to deal with us. Then, we don't stop questioning his men about the mole until he is forced to give out the information." Stepping up into a dramatic pose, he called to Gil and Dell, "You guys with me?"

Gil immediately grabbed Chatman by the jacket and hauled him back down. "Don't be causing a scene, we don't know what's going to happen yet," he warned the half-elf, "I say we go with Magnius' strategy, which is to observe his so-called invasion and keep contacts with Forcystus as much as possible. Here's the plan…"

* * *

After a quick lunch in Luin, Lloyd's group decided to split up and do their own thing. Raine headed straight for the museum, while Lloyd, Genis and Colette decided to explore the city. As for Sheena, the group wasn't completely sure where she was headed. "I'm just meeting someone I know, I'll meet you back here later in the day," she explained.

As she strolled off, Lloyd could not help but wonder aloud, "What's so secretive about this friend? Why couldn't she tell us anything about this person?"

Colette shrugged. "It's her privacy, right? I don't think it's right for us to interfere in her meeting. Besides, Sheena's from Tethe'alla, so maybe it's a friend that she may have known for a long time and happens to be in town?"

"I heard from Raine that Sheena was originally from Mizuho. Didn't they have a somewhat interesting history with regards to world reunification?" Genis asked.

"Yes, in fact, shortly after the world reunification, Mizuho's people began moving from their village to cities across the world, meaning there are likely many people living in Sylvarant that are of Mizuho descent," Colette explained, "I heard from my dad that every year at around the day of world reunification, Mizuho will hold their own special celebration in which most of these descendents return to their roots and get back in touch with their traditions. Sounds like something pretty exciting, don't you think?"

"Just don't let Raine hear that, or she'd go nuts," Genis mumbled as the three returned to their vehicle. Lloyd was about to turn on the ignition when a van suddenly swerved in front of them, blocking their path. A bunch of people hopped out and had the MINI Cooper surrounded and cornered like a wounded animal.

"Hey, what gives?" Lloyd shouted from the driver seat, about to jump out and protest further. But a swift jab to the windshield by a gunman quickly prompted Lloyd to change his mind. The threesome followed the intruders' orders and slowly stepped out of the car. "You better not have damaged my windshield, or you're going to get it," Lloyd threatened defiantly, feeling the glass to ensure there were no dents.

"Cut your whining or you're going to get it," one person retorted, "It just so happens that our target was in your vehicle, meaning you must have something to do with her operation. You can either do this the easy way by cooperating, or you can do it the hard way and have us force the info out of you!"

The threesome was led away, protesting the move and claiming their innocence. Just as they were led into the captors' van, Raine showed up from the other side, wanting to retrieve her forgotten notebook. Just as she turned onto the walk where the car was parked, she saw the three being dragged into the van. She hurried down the walkway, trying to safe her three friends when, without notice, the van made a sharp turn and took off. Grabbing her phone, she dialled for Sheena to tell her of the emergency, all the while memorizing the license plate of the van when she had to call the police after this call.

Meanwhile, inside the van, Lloyd, Colette, and Genis struggled against their captors and tried to find anyway of escaping, but the efforts seemed fruitless at the time. "Shut them up," the driver called from the front, "It's getting annoying to hear them,"

"You heard what the boss said, no sudden moves until we know what the rivals are doing," the man in the passenger seat ordered. From Lloyd's deduction, he guessed that this was probably the leader of the group. While staying quiet, Lloyd leaned forward to listen closely to their directions. He watched closely as the man dialled a number into his cell phone. "We don't have the target, but we have a group of people that were travelling with her earlier." Lloyd gasped as the man continued his conversation, knowing that whatever the outcome might decide their fates.

"I say keep those kids around for another little while, just to use as leverage against the targets when we do meet up," Kvar decided in Asgard, "But until then, squeeze as much info out of them as possible. If they don't cooperate, you know what to do; and after they give you the info, you know what to do as well." With an arrogant smirk, he hung up.

Meanwhile, Gil and company returned into the Cruxis building, sneaking in through a back door. "So is this it? We're going to cause mayhem?" Chatman asked excitedly.

"For the last time, we're not causing mayhem," Gil snapped, irritated, "I told you, we're going to see what's going on with Kvar and what his plans are in Luin. The second he messes up the way Magnius did..."

"We're going to jump all over him and nail him to the wall," Chatman finished for Gil, proud of his achievement, "Which is just another definition of causing mayhem. So why couldn't you just say that in the first place?" Beside him, Dell covered his face.

Just before Gil could set the record straight, Kvar swiftly moved out of his office and down a hallway. Motioning to Dell and Chatman, the threesome raced after the older half-elf, and again found themselves outside of a main command room. And, in just like in Palmacosta, they were not allowed in. "Kvar said Cruxis members only, so you three stay out," the guard barked, holding his ground.

And in an obvious case of déjà vu, Chatman tried to cause a scene again, a move anticipated since the beginning by Dell and Gil, who pulled a side to discuss strategy. Amid their discussion, Chatman's shouting with the guard, and intense scheming from inside the room, a single phone call placed to Kvar was received. "So, they're willing to negotiate now," Kvar could be heard saying, "Very well, take the hostages to the meeting spot, and once the drop was made, make sure nobody except our target get out alive."

* * *

For the second time that afternoon, Lloyd and company were herded into the large Cruxis van like cattle. Again, the captors did not disclose any information regarding their next move, but something told Lloyd that this might be their chance to escape. The uneventful ride in the van finally ended with the captors hauling them out into the central park of Luin, where the statues of three members of the world reunification group were erected when the town was rebuilt. Lloyd and Colette were taken to the centre of the park, while another member took Genis to the side, near the fountain.

The group with Lloyd and Colette approached the open area, where across from them another group stood. Lloyd could not see properly from the back, but it seemed like he might have seen someone from the other group some time before. "Do you see anyone familiar from the other group?" he leaned over to ask Colette.

"You mean Sheena?" Colette replied, pointing at the edge of that group.

That statement prompted Lloyd to crane his neck to get a good look. Indeed, the Palmacosta researcher was among that group, standing near the edge with a determined look on her face. "What's going on? Why is Sheena with those guys?" Lloyd wondered aloud, trying to assess the situation before him.

But Lloyd's train of thought would be disrupted as the leader of the opposite group spoke. "So you have the hostages that we want, and it's a good thing you still have them alive," he called from across the park, "But we also have what you want right here, and we're only making the exchange if there's no funny business."

Again, Lloyd was getting a feeling that he had heard that voice somewhere before. But as he continued to rack his brain, the leader of the captors replied, "I don't think you're in any position to talk, we have two of the kidnapped, but a third we have put somewhere in another location, which means if you want all three back alive, you're going to do this our way, understood?"

The leader of the opposite group did not flinch, but Lloyd could tell that he was beginning to feel uncomfortable. Would the groups be willing to risk four lives just to make this drop go smoothly, or were the lives of Lloyd, Colette, Genis and Sheena of no significance to these two groups? And in the middle of all this, where was Raine?

The tense atmosphere in the park would continue for another few minutes, as each group tried to negotiate the drop in ways to their respective advantages. There was a strange silence within the members of each group as the leaders called out each group's demands across the park. Lloyd and Colette could feel their hearts pound out of their ribcages as they fretted over what the next move might have in store for them, and all the while worrying over the safety of Genis. Finally, the groups agreed on the way the drop was to be made. "Our two will step forward at the same time you send your member up," the leader of the captors ordered, "Once she's on our side, we'll check her to make sure she is not armed or anything, then we'll reveal where the half-elf is for you to pick up."

Seeing there was no choice, the other group relented, and began to send Sheena forward. The captors responded by prodding Lloyd and Colette in the back, forcing them to step up as well. The threesome took the long, solemn walk to their new respective positions, very much resembling a death march.

In the distance, the captor with Genis watched on as he had Genis' arm in a death grip, making sure the young half-elf could not escape. The exchange was not on Genis' mind, as he had his eyes on the fountain. "I'm starting to get experience in manipulating mana, and Undine is the water elemental. I've learned some stuff from the mana piece, so I wonder if I could cast a water spell? Maybe it'll increase my chance of escape." Genis kept the option open, just in case his life would be at risk, not that it wasn't at the time.

Just as Lloyd and Colette passed Sheena on the way, the shrill sirens of police cars cut through the air. Both groups were caught off guard as men in uniform surrounded the entire area. As the police positioned themselves, the captors group accused their rivals of botching the deal by calling the police, and weapons were drawn. Before long, bullets were fired into the air, causing major mayhem in the park.

* * *

Please give me a fair judgment on the jokes, as I realized that I'm not that good in writing comedy. Thank you and take care.


	11. Finding Comfort in One's Namesake

"Those Two" (**Dawnstarshine** and** I.K.A. Valian**) and **Fenrir of the Shadows** provided the reviews. Just so we're clear and on the same page: with different elements of this story being thrown together (suspense, action, emotions, character interaction and development, new twists and ideas) I really have to set priorities on what goes in and what doesn't, and unfortunately, comedy usually gets left at the bottom of the pecking order. I'll try to include it whenever possible, but I can't guarantee that you'll see it too often. And for this, I apologize beforehand.

In better news, today (July 1) signifies a very special day for me: CANADA DAY! That's right folks, my Home and Native Land turns 140 years old, and I'm going to be celebrating. My gift to you, all the way from the Great White North, is this new chapter of the story. Enjoy!

* * *

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

"Police, freeze! Both sides release your hostages, drop your weapons, and put your hands in the air!" Luin's finest surrounded the area, positioned in various areas of the park and pointing their firearms at the two groups. It came just as Lloyd and Colette were to march across the park in exchange for Sheena.

Now, standing in between the two groups, both likely to be armed and dangerous, and the police closing in, Lloyd could tell that their position was a vulnerable one. "Uh, I don't know how to put it, but we're not exactly safe here," Lloyd muttered to Colette. Their eyes shifted nervously around, glancing from one group, to the other group, and even to the police. It seemed like there was no easy way out of this one.

"So is this it? You guys trying to ambush us by calling the police?" the leader of captives shouted over Lloyd and Colette, "If that's how you'll play it, then fine." Within seconds, the captors drew their firearms. The group that had Sheena earlier retaliated by drawing their weapons as well. Within seconds, Lloyd, Colette and Sheena were standing in the middle of a Mexican stand-off between the two gangs and the police.

Suddenly, from the corner of her eye, Sheena saw action from the group she was supposed to head towards. "Duck!" she yelled, pushing Lloyd and Colette down to the ground as gunfire was exchanged. Lloyd, Colette and Sheena kept their faces close to the ground, smelling the chemical scent of fertilizer in the grass as the loud pops and bangs of gunfire could be heard. Sheena took a glimpse above, and saw movement between each group as they tried to better position themselves. She could not tell what the police was doing, but assumed they would stay put, given that the so-called victims were across the firing range. Taking the opportunity, she gently nudged Lloyd and Colette, urging them to crawl away from the action.

The threesome began a slow steady crawl away from the battlefield, and around the group of captors, to the safety of the other side of the park. Around them, they could hear the screams and cries of fleeing civilians trying to escape the danger. The threesome struggled to their feet, trying to make a dash for it. "Make for the other side of the park," Sheena instructed, "Then we'll meet up with the police later on."

"What about Genis? We can't leave without Genis," Colette fretted.

"We'll try and find him on the way, but right now we have to get to safety, so let's go," Sheena urged as the threesome hurried off.

But less than a second into their attempt to flee, they were halted by a couple of Lloyd and Colette's captors. "Trying to escape, are we?" one of them sneered, "Not only do we have our target, but we don't give up our hostages as well. Keep the rivals and the police off guard, we're taking them back to the van." With guns pointed at their backs, the two captors marched Lloyd, Colette and Sheena away from the scene, with the three only hoping that the police noticed the move and could follow them closely. They went by the fountain, where one member made a hand signal at the water.

From behind the fountain, Lloyd, Colette and Sheena could see a third captor coming out, and marching slowly before him was the young half-elf they were looking for: Genis Sage. The silver-haired boy kept his eyes somewhat focused on the fountain, with an emotionless and expressionless face.

"Genis, you're okay," Colette shouted, trying to run towards him. But the captors were aware of this move, and immediately grabbed her by the shoulders and flung her back. The blonde teen ended up on the ground on her back, all the while with a weapon pointed at her face.

"Hey, back off, that's my friend you just pushed!" Lloyd warned the assailant, giving him a hard shove to the shoulder.

That only prompted the other assailant to point the weapon in Lloyd's face. Sheena took this chance to make sure Colette was alright and helped Colette back to her feet. Looking around, she could see the two assailants nearing the point of confrontation with Lloyd, with the third holding Genis and looking on. With everyone distracted for the time being, it was the perfect time to make her move.

Stealthy as an eagle, she flew in and kicked away the gun held by the closest captor. This distracted him for just enough time for her to tackle him and tried to pin him. Lloyd took this opportunity to wrestle with the other captor, trying to pull the gun away. "Go, Colette, go get Genis," he shouted as they struggled.

Just as the blonde reached the fountain, the man grabbed Genis around the neck and jabbed the firearm into his temple. "If you want to see this half-elf alive, I suggest you tell your friends to stop their struggling and surrender," he threatened Colette.

"Please, just don't do this, I don't want to see anybody get hurt," Colette pleaded, "Genis is our friend, and we don't want anything to happen to him." Colette could see that Genis was, oddly enough, keeping his eyes glued to the fountain the entire time.

"I don't think you can bargain with me," the man shot back, "I'm the one with the weapon and your friend, so if you don't cooperate, you can kiss his brains goodbye."

But just as he said this, Genis shot his right arm out, as if he were grasping the fountain's water. Indeed, some water levitated out and formed three small, round disks. They rotated rapidly, picking up momentum and, much to Colette's disbelief flew straight towards the assailant. The spinning water blades cut the man's arm, causing him to howl in pain, dropping the gun and loosening his grip on the young half-elf. Genis pivoted out of the grasp, and just for good measure, gave his captor a swift kick on the shins.

The third captor groaned in pain, both from the water blades cutting his arm and the kick. Taking this chance, Colette and Genis made their escape, moving around the fountain and to the other side of the park. But not even a minute into their run, Genis had collapsed onto the ground, complaining of dizziness. "I don't feel so well," he murmured.

"We can't rest here. If they managed to recover, then we'll still be in danger. We have to get to the police and give Lloyd and Sheena some help," Colette pointed out as she tried to lift Genis back up. It was to no avail, as the light-headedness caused the young half-elf to have difficulty in maintaining his balance. The two made their way out in a slow, strange-looking trudge, not making much progress at all. It would not be long before the assailant was picking up ground and closing the distance between them.

But just as the assailant was about to attack, the police arrived and surrounded the group. "That's my brother, let me through," Raine shouted, pushing her way past as the men in uniform apprehended the suspect.

"Raine, you were the one who called the police? How did you know we were captured?" Genis asked, his voice barely above a murmur.

"I went back to the car to get my notebook, and I saw you guys got herded into the van. Seeing that situation, I called the police, and when they were searching the area for you I saw the van drive by towards the park, so we followed you and saw a hostage situation," Raine explained, checking on her brother. As she attended to Genis, Colette searched the park, and found Lloyd and Sheena both being taken care of by the police, who had their former captors all under custody. Relieved, she hurried towards the two.

"The group that held us captive are all under custody, but the other group got away," Lloyd informed the blonde, "What happened with you and Genis? How did you guys manage to get away?"

Colette opened her mouth to answer, but then realized that she had no complete answer for him. "Genis did something with the water that caused it to fly at the captor and cut his arm, then we got away, I think…" she replied, scratching her head.

As they contemplated this, the leader of the SWAT team approached them. "I hope you can cooperate with us in our investigation by coming down to the station to give a testimony. Shall we get moving?"

* * *

In an almost identical procedure as Palmacosta's, the group was interviewed and answered questions with regards to the kidnapping and the subsequent exchange. As each person went into the interrogation room, one after the other, Lloyd could not help but wonder what Sheena had to do with all this. After all, she did originally appear with the other group, and was involved in the exchange, so did they have connections with her?

"Sheena, I'm hoping you can help me clear up something," Lloyd stated as Sheena was exiting the interrogation room. She was the last person to be interviewed, as the police only had to finish some paperwork before they were to be released. "Why were you with the other group earlier and why were you needed for the exchange? Moreover, why were we of importance with them?"

Sheena paused for a minute. Lloyd, Colette and Genis tried to look into her eyes, reading her expression. It was as if she was hiding something, but all that disappeared when she lifted her head back up and answered Lloyd. "One of my old friends was with that group, and he told me that with the recent activities at Thoda, he thought the group that captured you was after the information I discovered. The only way to guarantee your safety was to have me give up my information to them, so I agreed to the exchange."

"You realized you were seriously risking your life out there, right? It's dangerous to let yourself be a bargaining chip," Lloyd retorted, shocked at Sheena's decision, "It's not worth it to risk your life for that, you know."

"Lloyd, I'm perfectly aware of the dangers involved here, and I can certainly take care of myself when there's trouble," Sheena replied, "I thank you for worrying about me but I assure you, the entire situation with me is under control."

Lloyd was about to give Sheena another earful when Colette interrupted. "I think you both have to calm down. Lloyd does have a point when he said that it was going to be dangerous, but at the same time, I think we should give Sheena a bit more credit," she looked at them both, trying to build consensus, "Instead of arguing over who should be responsible for what, we should be thankful that the police got everyone out safely."

At this time, the three turned to the half-elf siblings, where Raine was somewhat interrogating Genis. "So what did you do that allowed those water blades to form?" she asked her younger brother, "Was it the same thing that occurred back at Thoda when you felt the mana presence up your spine?"

"I guess you could say that," Genis explained, a bit unsure himself, "I felt that I could use some of the stuff we learned from Undine's fragment to my advantage. Being the water elemental, and having a water fountain around me, I thought maybe I could manipulate the mana in the water and turn it into an attack to free myself. I figured that since I could feel mana by concentrating on it, and some mages in the past have been able to focus so hard that the mana becomes an attack of that specific elemental, it might just work for me. But then I guess I concentrated too hard and became dizzy afterwards."

Raine nodded her head, impressed by her brother's actions. Scribbling furiously, she jotted down every detail Genis told her, all the while mumbling to herself. Lloyd could only shake his head at the scene as he turned to Genis and informed the young half-elf, "I think you should take it easy, since in that book you showed me, I thought I saw it saying that too much mana in your body or something like that could be harmful."

"I had to defend myself, so it's a risk I had to take," Genis replied, "Besides, it's probably a weak spell compared to the mages of the past, so it's no big deal."

"What do you mean by no big deal?" Raine shouted, "You're doing something that no one has done for centuries, and you're downplaying its significance?" The group collectively rolled their eyes as Raine went into history mode again.

Just as Raine continued her rant, the staff sergeant of the unit stepped up to them. "I have contacted your appropriate authorities, Dr. Brunel and Dr. Owen, and they are now up to date with regards to what's happened. But I can't seem to contact the parent or legal guardian of Lloyd Irving. He doesn't seem to be in his home in Iselia," he notified.

"Try calling his cell phone," Lloyd suggested, giving the sergeant the number, "You may find that he's a lot closer than you think," he concluded, giving Raine a wink. The female half-elf winked back, knowing that this could be their chance to find out more about Gil's actions in the Asgard region.

* * *

There was an eerie silence resonating throughout the Asgard headquarters as Kvar just found out that his mission had failed. Not only did they not get their target, but they also lost their hostages, and the rival group walked off scotch-free. This contrasted Palmacosta, where Magnius basically erupted at anyone near him after the failed attempt to take Thoda Geyser. Outside the room, Gil and his two partners watched intently.

Just as Kvar was about to address his group, Gil's cell phone rang. "Keep an eye on Kvar, and update me when I come back," he instructed Dell and Chatman as he scurried off to field the call. Finding a quiet area, he flipped his phone open. "Hello?"

"Is this Gilbert Irving? I'm with the Luin Police Department, here to inform you that your son was involved in an incident here in Luin. Since Lloyd is not yet eighteen, I must follow protocol and give you a call," the sergeant informed Gil.

"Where's Lloyd, is he alright? What happened to him?" Gil asked like the concerned parent that he was.

"Your son is fine, he's here at the police station" the sergeant replied, "We've just finished the testimonies from each person, and we've also made sure that everyone is alright, with no injuries or anything like that. They said they were supposed to be staying in Asgard, so we're letting them be on their way really soon."

"Alright, I guess I can rest assured knowing that he'll be fine," Gil answered, "I hope I can see him sometime soon then."

"Actually, he was hoping to speak to you right now. Just let me hand him the phone," the captain said. Shuffling could be heard from the back as the phone was transferred, then came the unmistakable sound of his son's voice.

"Hi Dad, I'm okay, we were taken by this group that intercepted my car right in the streets, and were used in some hostage situation," Lloyd explained, "Luckily we put up a brief struggle, giving the police just enough time to take them out."

"Lloyd, I told you before, when you're in a situation like that, try to stay out of trouble," Gil chastised his son, "but I'm glad you're okay. Are you coming back to Asgard any time soon?"

"Yeah, we're leaving in just a few minutes," Lloyd answered, "Why? Are you in Asgard right now?" he asked.

Gil froze, realizing that he probably revealed too much. Hearing the silence, Lloyd continued from the other line, "I also thought I saw you back in Palmacosta, and you boarded the bus for Asgard, so we were wondering why you didn't join us earlier."

Gil sighed, knowing that his secret was now out. Might as well tell the truth, he thought to himself, or at least part of it. Turning back to the phone, he said, "Yes, I was in and around those regions for the last few days, and I'm sorry for not informing you. It's just that I have some matter to attend to with regards to my work, and I couldn't get any free time. Tell you what, you come back to Asgard and we'll spend some time together."

Lloyd agreed to the offer, and Gil put his phone away, still in deep thought as he headed back to Dell and Chatman. If there were two people in the entire world that could get him to lose his concentration, they were Anna and Lloyd. When Anna died, Gil made a promise to her before her grave that he would take care of Lloyd no matter what. For Gil, living up to that promise meant putting Lloyd before all else, even if his job did not allow for actually being there physically and providing guidance.

This would also lead to Gil having a double-life, being an undercover cop and a member of Cruxis outside, but still trying to act as a responsible parent to Lloyd. It was not surprising that Gil had his parental instincts kicked in when he discovered that Lloyd was in danger, but Gil also realized as Lloyd grew older and Gil's undercover mission potentially nearing its end, the line between father and mole was increasingly blurred. Lloyd's not young anymore, and one of these days, if I finish my mission, I will tell Lloyd about the last ten years, Gil decided.

Turning back to Dell and Chatman, he asked for a status update. "Kvar is no doubt upset about the botched mission, but at the same time he believes he has located the rival group and may have gained some valuable info about them," Dell reported, "I think he might be sending another mission to follow them, but when and where remain to be seen. What's your call?"

"I say we lay low for now, but keep an eye on Kvar," Gil decided, "The only way we can get a chance on our mission is when he messes up. With the rivalry between him and Forcystus boiling up, it's only going to be harder in the future."

"Well, the good news is that we got all that info out of Kvar and can probably track his next move, but the bad news is that I didn't get a chance to cause a scene," Chatman said, snapping his fingers in frustration, "Come on, a confrontation like this and I didn't get involved?"

"Is that all you think about? Causing trouble?" Gil retorted, annoyed by the half-elf. Addressing them both, Gil explained, "Kvar might use his next move to save face on today's failure, so the pressure's on him right now. So we'll take this case the same way we handled Magnius: when he messes up, we'll jump all over him."

* * *

"So, what did everybody think of Luin?" Raine asked as they drove their way back to Asgard. Luckily, despite taking a shot to the windshield, Lloyd's MINI Cooper did not sustain too much damage, and was still functional. It was also obvious that the mood was still unsettled after that debacle, so Raine tried to calm everyone's nerves by discussing a more casual topic.

"I say if it is always subject to gang fights like that, and if people are always that inconsiderate of each other's vehicles, then I'm never coming back again," Lloyd answered firmly, rubbing the windshield as he drove.

"Lloyd, I think you seriously need to relax," Colette suggested from the passenger seat, "It's not that big a deal, and your windshield is fine."

"Colette, we just got kidnapped, taken hostage, were involved in another gunfight, and one of the gangs actually got off scotch free. Don't you think that starts raising some serious questions?" Lloyd retorted, "Besides, Sheena was with them somehow, and she said it's because her friends was there. So what's the connection? And lastly, I have a feeling that my dad isn't exactly an innocent bystander either. It seems like he's hiding something when we called him earlier." Lloyd tapped his chin and furrowed his brow.

"You are seriously paranoid!" Sheena shouted from the back, "Can't you just let this issue die? We already got out with our lives. Shouldn't that be enough? I think you should listen to your girlfriend's advice back in Luin and just be thankful?"

That statement struck Lloyd and Colette like a flying brick. Since when were they boyfriend and girlfriend? Both remained quiet for a while, causing an eerie silence to fall into the MINI Cooper. Nobody said another word, making a certain young half-elf seated at the middle of the back row awfully uncomfortable. Feeling a need to break the silence, Genis spoke up. "Did you guys know that there were three statues in the park where I was held hostage, and they look a lot like Lloyd, Raine, and Sheena?" he asked the group with an innocent smile on his face.

Instead of having the effect of relaxing everyone, that statement caught the group off guard, and ended up shocking everyone. After pausing for a minute, Colette finally spoke up. "That's right, now that you mentioned it, there were those three statues around, and they were of the world reunification heroes. And oddly enough, the three statues all share names with us. The swordsman was named Lloyd, the grand healer was named Raine, and the summoner was named Sheena."

"Well, it's not too surprising with me, since I was told when I was little that I was named after a famous heroine," Raine stated, "It was my grandparents' idea, and Dad took their suggestion and named me Raine." Raine sighed, looking out the window, "I still recall, that was the last thing he said to me before he died. He told me to remember my namesake, and I should contribute to society the way the reunification hero and grand healer Raine did," she concluded with a pang of sadness.

Sheena looked across the back row to Raine's direction. "I know what you mean," she sympathized with the half-elf, "I was named after the summoner as well, as I was born on Reunification Day in Mizuho. My grandfather wanted to, as a blessing, name me after the heroine to honour both Mizuho and the event. Just like you, my parents passed away when I was younger, so I didn't really know my parents very well. That's one thing you and I have in common, Raine. We're both named after people from the reunification, and to an extent we both take comfort and inspiration in our namesakes."

The mood in the back row was quite solemn as Raine and Sheena both thought about their namesakes and what their names truly meant to them. Again, to lighten the mood, Genis probed the last statue. "What about you, Lloyd?" he asked, "Did your parents name you after the hero swordsman?"

Lloyd cocked his head. "I don't really know, my parents never really told me. My mom died when I was six, and Dad never really revealed anything about this stuff. I'll get a chance to ask him in the next little while, since I'll be spending some time with him once we get back," Lloyd decided, and in his mind, he thought to himself, "and ask him some questions about his moves and connections within Asgard as well."

As the MINI Cooper pulled into their hotel in Asgard, indeed there was Gil waiting for them. Lloyd had told Gil where they were staying in an earlier conversation, and Gil offered to meet Lloyd there for their night out. "I'll meet you guys later," Lloyd told the group, "It's time for me to spend some quality time with my dad."

One by one, Lloyd's passengers stepped out of the vehicle, with Sheena and Raine going to the back to pick up some of their belongings. Raine gave Gil a strange look as she moved passed him. Gil did not return the stare, opting to hop into the MINI Cooper's passenger seat and buckling himself up. "I'll return the gas money to you later on, Lloyd," Raine informed the spiky-haired teen as she moved into the hotel.

Lloyd only gave a slight nod as he watched them go in, and then he turned to his father seated beside him. "Well, where to?" he asked.

* * *

It was another awkward dinner together for father and son, as Lloyd and Gil barely said anything to each other throughout the duration of the meal. By the time they were to pay the bill, Gil finally spoke up. "I know you must have a lot of questions, and I prepared to spend the entire night trying to resolve as many of them as possible," Gil informed his son, "So fire away, I'm ready for them."

Lloyd cleared his throat. "Well, the first question is: why are you in Asgard, and in Palmacosta earlier? And why didn't you at least give me a call when you were there?"

Gil shifted slightly to his left in his seat, just out of the way from the light above, causing a strange shadow to cover half his face. "There were a couple of things regarding my job in Palmacosta that I had to deal with, that's why I was there earlier. Seeing how I'm in the region, I also felt I should drop by Asgard, since it has been almost ten years since your mother's death. This was the last city that she visited, so I thought I should revisit her last few days of life as a way for me to mourn her. As for why I didn't call, it's mainly because I didn't want to cause a scene with you guys. Did that answer your questions?" Gil replied.

Lloyd nodded. "You didn't have to do that, you know. I'm more than willing to take some time out of my schedules with the group to commemorate my mom, so you could have just called me on my cell," Lloyd pointed out.

Gil pursed his lips and looked at the ice cubes in his glass of water. All Lloyd could see was his father's dark brown hair, as the way his face was positioned and how the light illuminated the table made it impossible for Lloyd to see Gil's expression. But instead of pressing the issue, the teenager tried to keep the topic on his mother. "You know, it's only now that I realized sometimes, the only way to bring closure to past tragedies is to face them head on," Lloyd stated in a matter-of-fact tone, "I mean, for all these years, I never even realized all the things my mom did until now, when I realized that you and I are both in Asgard trying to walk her footsteps. I guess it gives new appreciation for all the things she did for us, right?"

Gil looked up, seemingly relieved. "So I guess you understand why for so long, I didn't reveal too much about her. I didn't want to say anything because I wanted you to understand her completely before facing the issue. I'm glad you managed to see it all through, and because of this, I guarantee that, in due time, I will reveal more about the entire incident surrounding her to you," Gil assured his son.

"Hey, speaking of which, when I was being held hostage in the central park at Luin, Genis said he saw a few statues there, and one of them was a swordsman that he thought looked a lot like me, and strangely enough, the swordsman's name is Lloyd," Lloyd described, "Dad, out of curiosity, am I named after someone famous?"

"Actually, this was your mother's idea. I wasn't a really big history buff, so I didn't pay too much attention to the Reunification. But your mother was intrigued by the leader of the group, and named you after him. In fact, in her novel, one of the characters happened to be loosely based on Lloyd the swordsman," Gil explained, sitting up straight and letting the light illuminate his face entirely again, "Your mother was a firm believer in the ideals that the reunification group represented, although in her mind some members achieved the goal better than others. That's why she wrote her novel, because she truly believed that it signified a change of the times. In fact, re-reading the novel made me gain an appreciation for history, and that's why I joined you and Colette back in Triet."

"So to an extent, you're saying you found closure by referring to the last thing she ever left us," Lloyd analyzed, nodding his head, "But that still doesn't explain why every time we go to ruins, we get attacked by strange people. In fact, at the hostage situation in Luin, the leader of the other group seemed to be someone that attacked us before, either back in Triet or the University of Iselia. You think it may be related to Mom in any way? It seemed like it's happening too often to be considered coincidences."

"When your mother first came to Asgard to promote her book ten years ago, there was a group of half-elf extremists forming in various places in Sylvarant and Tethe'alla, and one regional base was in Asgard. When I was still with the force, I did suspect that Anna had found out some stuff about them, and actually threatened them with the police, and that's why they ended up killing her." Gil could see Lloyd tense up, balling his hands into fists, so he added, "But before you get all excited, please keep in mind that this is speculation, as I've never been in real contact with the police investigation after that. But I can tell you that the attacks at both Thoda and Luin are most likely from this group."

Lloyd's upper body relaxed as his shoulders dropped slightly, but he was still somewhat frustrated, with the light above putting a spotlight on the determined look on his face. "I guess it's good to know that my mom died fighting for what she believed in, but I just don't get how this group, whoever they are, is still out there, despite all the investigations," he sighed, "What about that other group then? There was another group that had been rivals to this group you're talking about, and one of our members was with them when the exchange was being done. Do you know anything about these guys?"

"Unfortunately, no. Remember that I haven't been with the police for ten years, and my knowledge of these investigations is very limited. But with gang warfare, it wouldn't surprise me that there would be rivalries like this. Just make sure you don't get caught in the crossfire next time," Gil warned his son, leaning his face into the spotlight.

Instead of a smart-aleck retort, Lloyd accepted the advice. "Don't worry, I'll be safe, and thanks for taking the time to come out with me tonight. It really answered a lot of my questions. Do you want me to drive you back?" Lloyd asked as they got up.

"No, I think I'll be fine," Gil replied as he paid the bill, "Enjoy seeing Balacruf Mausoleum, assuming what you said earlier fell through and you'll be going there in the next day or two. I'll be right here in Asgard for the next few days, so feel free to give me a call anytime." Right then and there, father and son smiled at each other. It was a smile that, for the first time in nearly a decade, both sides could say was genuinely from the heart.

* * *

Lloyd/Gil conversation at the restaurant was one of the harder scenes I have written so far , mainly because I tried to incorporate a few elements around them and trying to make these objects complement their emotional state and interaction at the time. This is a new writing style that I'm experimenting with, so please be fair when giving me your judgment. Thank you and Happy Canada Day!


	12. Battle at Balacruf Mausoleum

**I.K.A. Valian** and **Fenrir of the Shadows** were the reviewers; not sure where **Dawnstarshine** went. Dawn, I hope you can join us for the next chapter, because things are about to take another interesting turn. For Fenrir, my characters aren't reincarnations of the original group, and the 4 Seraphim (Mithos, Martel, Yuan and Kratos) will not be in this fic.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

"So you're going to Balacruf Mausoleum today? And this will be with your research group?" Gil asked Lloyd over the phone as he put his razor away after shaving. It was a couple of days after their father-son talk, and Gil had not spoken to Lloyd since. Gil guessed that his son needed some time to let all that information soak in, so he did not bother to call him until Lloyd was ready to speak again.

But this time, Lloyd seemed to be at a much better mood, as he told his father of another trip to visit ancient ruins. "Balacruf Mausoleum is already studied extensively throughout history, since it's the burial grounds for a royal dynasty," Lloyd explained, "Dr. Brunel and Dr. Owen already have permission to study the area, so it's only a matter of time before we're booked to go in, and it happens to be today."

"Well, I'm glad this can take your mind off of the other stuff," Gil responded, "A young guy like you should be enjoying the trip, and learning new things along the way. I won't be joining you, however. I have some stuff from my work to attend to."

After a quick goodbye from his son, Gil hung up and left his room, headed for his rental vehicle. Dell and Chatman were already there waiting for him, with Dell updating Gil on the latest from Kvar. "Our spies indicated that the rival group may be heading to Balacruf Mausoleum, which is another potential site for large amounts of mana. Kvar says he might be sending a group larger than ever before to the area to intercept."

"I don't find that surprising, given the fact that Kvar lost the last time out," Gil replied monotonously, "What did Forcystus say about this matter?"

"No response yet," Dell answered, "I think he's either out or just busy. It's rather odd that he's not picking up, considering the fact that he's supposed to have suspended all Cruxis operations until we can find the mole."

That caught Gil rather off guard, as he dipped his head, catching his chin with his hand and went into a long train of thought. After a couple of minutes, he decided on their next move. "It could very well be that Kvar may get blindsided, since Kvar had his hands full with this rival group from Luin. We still don't know what he's up against, so I say we go back to the headquarters and keep an eye on things over there."

Hearing no protests from Dell and no comments about wanting to cause a scene from Chatman, Gil and company hopped into their rental and drove off, heading straight for the headquarters, anticipating nothing but trouble in the next bit ahead.

* * *

"There should be an intersection right before we reach Luin. Take the highway to the right from there and just keep heading forward. You can't miss it," Colette informed Lloyd as the MINI Cooper followed the research vehicle. While in Asgard, the research team managed to check out a vehicle from the Mausoleum research centre. That relieved Lloyd's car from carrying a lot of heavy equipment. As well, all four researchers were in that van, meaning Lloyd only had to carry his usual suspects of Colette and Genis. Lloyd was ecstatic by the news, knowing that his precious did not have to suffer any more after the terrifying incident in Luin a couple of days ago.

"So just like Thoda, this area has been studied extensively, and is likely another site for summon spirits," Lloyd recounted as he turned the vehicle into the intersection, "I'm guessing your father will lead the team, Raine will go all psycho, Sheena will try to get whoever this spirit is to consider our attempts, and Genis will film everything all the while keeping the mana tingling in his spine in check. Sounds like a fun day ahead."

As he drove, Lloyd could not help but think back to the past couple of days, when he had a chance to discuss Gil's conversation with Raine. Although both realized that Gil had not been dishonest when answering Lloyd's questions, they still felt that somehow, Gil knew something was on and chose not to reveal it to Lloyd. Moreover, the stories of Anna seemed to be playing a part in the entire fiasco, as Gil referred to her knowledge of history and her book quite often during their conversation. Since Lloyd did not remember much about Anna, it was even harder to put the pieces of this puzzle together.

Finally, the vehicles reached the destination, and before Lloyd could even turn his engine off, his passengers jumped out with their cameras clicking. Before them was a large temple, except it was built entirely out of stone. The entrance of this area was far grander than the previous two, with elegant designs etched into stone walls still visible even after all those centuries facing the battering from the harsh environment. Making the site even more impressive was the sounds of the wind whipping through the hallways in the temple and blowing out the entrance. It was a sight to be marvelled upon.

As Lloyd and Colette snapped away, and Genis continued recording with his video camera, the research team began towing some equipment out of their van. With all the people pre-occupied, Sheena slipped off to make a phone call. After getting the confirmation with the other side, she returned to the group, prepared to do her thing. At least I know they'll be providing security this time, she thought to herself. Turning to survey the scene one last time, she took a long look at the highway coming into the area, before finally following her group into the temple.

Just as the entire group disappeared into the dark tunnel, another set of vehicles slowly pulled up to the research team. The lead driver took a glance at the scene and pulled out his phone. He dialled a number while his passenger signalled to the other cars to halt. As they filed out onto the field, the driver got a confirmation with his superior as well. After slapping his phone shut, he doled out instructions. "According to the maps, we have two passages that we can take to get to the top. Make sure we stay out of sight from the research teams until they reach the top. We don't take action until our two messengers staying outside receive the go-ahead, and come inside to tell us."

"Any news on what we should do when that summon spirit thing or whatever pops up?" the former passenger of the lead vehicle asked, "We know Magnius messed that one up back at Thoda, so what should we be looking out for?"

"Make sure this time, when we do get that spirit or whatever, that we disrupt the mana so much that it cannot possibly retaliate," the leader replied, "Also, make sure the research team is completely out of commission, since Magnius' attempt at Thoda was thwarted by the Coast Guard. Don't make the same mistake again!" he warned one last time as they broke for the entrance, ready to carry out their leader's orders.

* * *

Just as Kvar finished giving his orders to his men at Balacruf Mausoleum, Gil and company arrived to Cruxis headquarters. The threesome immediately charged for the main control room again, when oddly enough, there was nobody there to stop them from going in. In fact, there were very few people in there at all, as it seemed like that most of the Cruxis members were absent. "Strange, it seemed like a ghost town atmosphere here," Dell commented as they surveyed the empty room.

"That's because there is nobody here except a handful of my men," a sickeningly slurred voice spoke up from behind them. The threesome turned to see Asgard's Cruxis leader standing before them. "They're all off to accomplish the biggest mission Cruxis is about to see, and when they succeed, it will make me the new leader of Cruxis."

"Um, I don't mean to be rude, but haven't we heard this somewhere before? Kind of like when Magnius was bragging about how he'll take over Thoda? And we all know what happened after that: BOOM!" Chatman emphasized the explosion by jumping into the air with his arms open, "So, long story short, what makes you think you'll make it when your friend from Palmacosta didn't?" he sneered at the white-haired half-elf.

Kvar gave his signature arrogant chuckle. "You know, Magnius was a great oaf, therefore he never had a good grasp of what's going on. I, however, have the latest research data backing me up, so I can't possibly go wrong."

Gil leaned over to Dell and murmured into his ear, "Dial up Forcystus, I'm not sure if this is a wise decision. Let Forcystus make the call on this," he suggested.

"Actually, there'll be no need for this," Kvar replied, apparently overhearing the last comment by Gil, "The research data also happens to be complementary to the material that Forcystus was looking for in building his ultimate weapon, so if anything, I'm doing him a favour. So you can tell him to relax while I handle everything here. When I succeed, tell him to hand me the reins to Cruxis and be prepared to follow my orders."

As Kvar left the room, the threesome gave each other a nervous glance, knowing full well that another disaster might be at hand at the Balacruf Mausoleum.

But unknown to the three, there was another group that arrived at Balacruf Mausoleum just as Gil and company approached Kvar. Just like Cruxis, the third group was armed with different sorts of technology, and, after surveying the Cruxis vehicles, had a specific target in mind. "Remember, our job is to ensure that their mission does not succeed," the leader explained, "So we have to round all the routes off and make sure they have no escape. If need be, we may need to use our weapons, so be prepared for battle."

"Sir, what about the research team?" one person asked, "Shouldn't we be worried about what they're doing in here?"

"Leave the research group for now, since we're trying to make ourselves invisible to them," the leader replied, "Our job is to take out Cruxis, nothing more. We'll worry about the disagreements within the visitors later on. Let's move."

* * *

Inside the mausoleum, the research team slowly made their way deeper inside. Again, the Balacruf designs were aligned throughout the interior walls, but along with them were the unmistakeable marks of the summon spirits, although they were of a different elemental than both of the past temples the group had been to before. "Why would a summon spirit make its home in a mausoleum?" Lloyd asked, snapping a photo of the walls with his camera.

"As the royal family during the Balacruf dynasty, the king and his family are very interested in using the natural elements as symbolism for their rule. It's kind of like an idealized version of the world through their eyes. Since this area was known for its winds and breezes, most researchers believe that it represented the freedom and prosperity of the people during the Balacruf years, and it may just be that the site was already home to the summon spirit even before the mausoleum was built," Frank explained.

"Another reason would be that there were summoners that worked for the king or the royal army during this time," Sheena added, "Since the use of magi-technology and mana were quite common at that time, it is likely that the summon spirit had formed pacts with the summoners and was the royal insignia or symbol for quite some time. When the royals died off, perhaps the summon spirit was their spiritual guide, and watched over the spirits until that pact was broken."

"Actually, the Balacruf dynasty was a very interesting time. It was the most prosperous era of the ancient world, where technology, economy, and social well-being of the commoners were above and beyond any other time. Yet, after the event where the world allegedly broke into two, the dynasty crumbled, and internal conflicts caused civil wars everywhere. Many people died and infrastructure was destroyed, and what used to be a great empire was turned into isolated cities and towns. Asgard was believed to have been one of the major cities of this dynasty, and that's why there are so many ruins there even until today. It's a fascinating topic to study, really," Raine suggested.

That prompted a groan from Lloyd, while Colette only chuckled. Genis, however, was nowhere to be seen. Instead of sticking around with the group, the young half-elf followed his mana sense and wandered off to the main source of the mana. He entered a mess of hallways with strange writing and carvings lining both sides of the walls, with only the small light on his video camera illuminating them. "These seem to be some sort of information on the legend of Balacruf," Genis muttered, "It seems like the entire place was run by wind power, and any mana within the area was wind-based."

As he zoomed in, he could feel the sensations within his spine becoming stronger; his mana sense was directing him deeper into the temple. The damp feeling within the halls, coupled with the wind whistling through from the top caused some moisture to beat into Genis' face. Taking a deep breath, he took a small step forward, towards the final area where the mana source was located. The floor echoed as the young half-elf moved forward, the soles of Genis' sneakers made contact with the cold, hard ground.

Just as he was about to enter the final chamber, Genis heard some talking from a hallway adjacent to him. Stepping away from the entrance, he took a few gentle steps towards the direction of the sound, trying as hard as he could to remain incognito. Oddly enough, the voices did not come from any of the people that came with him to the temple. Remembering the last few times when unwelcome visitors showed up, the young half-elf did not pursue the strangers any further. He flipped the light on his video camera off and hurried back to the research group.

As he stepped back into the group, he could see everybody taking a short lunch break, with the group standing or sitting in a semi-circle talking casually. "You guys, I don't think continuing our research is a smart move," Genis began, "I just heard some voices coming from the other side and it doesn't sound like they are authorized people. I think we may be in for another hijacking, so we better finish quickly and leave."

"Another hijacking? Don't be ridiculous," Sheena replied, "I have this all under control, there's nothing that can go wrong."

Genis was about to protest when Colette cut him off. "Genis, I've said this to Lloyd and I'll say it to you: we should have more faith in Sheena. I know in the last areas we visited we ended up being in some dangerous situations, but I really think that Sheena knows what she's doing. So if she says it's fine, I think we should go with that."

As the group finished their lunches, they got to their feet and moved off. Genis tried to protest a bit, but no one was really paying attention to him. Lloyd, who stood at the back, observed everything, and something in his mind told him Sheena, just like Gil, might have known something was about to happen. "I guess I'm not the only one with a bad feeling about this," he murmured to himself.

Genis turned to Lloyd with an eyebrow cocked. "Excuse me? Did you want to say something about how wrong this is?" he demanded impatiently.

Lloyd shrugged. "Even if I don't like the decision being made, there's still not much I can do. The group consensus is that Sheena has everything under control and that we can keep moving," Lloyd finally moved forward, trying to follow the group, "You and I are in the minority here, so the only thing we can do is follow and observe."

"But we can't just sit here while we know there's danger lurking around. We got to do something this time, or we'll be put in another hostage situation, or maybe even worse." Genis pointed out as he tried to catch up to Lloyd. When Lloyd did not reply, Genis called him out, "Lloyd, are you going to say anything at all?" he demanded.

Finally Lloyd turned, putting a hand into his bag and felt for something. "Yeah, want a sandwich?" he asked as he pulled his hand out, holding the food before Genis.

Glaring at the spiky-haired teen, Genis threw his head back and screamed in frustration, letting it all out as it reached the point of no return. The cry could be heard echoing throughout the halls of the mausoleum, all the way to the outside entrance, snapping the two messengers from Cruxis wide awake.

* * *

"Gil, there's really no reason for us to stick around anymore. Kvar's not going to back down from his plans, and we're considered outsiders here. Why don't we just leave and come back when we have another plan?" Dell pleaded.

Shortly after their awkward confrontation with Kvar, Dell and Chatman all but gave up hope on moving forward with their mission to locate the police mole in Asgard. They were intent on waiting until the group at Balacruf Mausoleum returned to Asgard before continuing, but Gil had other ideas. Instead of leaving, he crouched outside of Kvar's office, spying on the white-haired man and observing his every move. Dell and Chatman could not understand why Gil would take such a risk. "What do you hope to accomplish by stalking him?" Dell whispered harshly.

"He said he had research data that could be helpful to his mission, so maybe he might be hiding information about all sorts of stuff, including the police mole," Gil replied, "it's the perfect chance for us to flush the mole out, and find out whether Kvar may have been betraying Cruxis by allying himself with the local authorities."

"Hey, if you want to flush info out of Kvar, why didn't you just ask me? I bet I can beat the info out of him," Chatman bragged.

"Kvar's situation is way different than Magnius, so it's not as effective to threaten him with force or authority," Gil explained, "For us, the best bet is to try outwitting him, since he's slightly more insecure, and isn't willing to reveal much about his plans. I say we wait until he's off guard, then we grab his stuff."

"Speaking of which, he's moving out right now," Dell announced on the other side, "He left from the other door of his office."

Immediately, Gil sprang into action. Realizing that Kvar had a window open, Gil stepped outside of the building and began climbing into the office, all the while asking Dell to keep their eyes peeled on the two doors, and Chatman to follow Kvar to ensure that Kvar did not return until Gil was finished. Having the office all to himself, he began looking through some files on Kvar's desk, starting with the file folders, and moving on until all of the papers were read. There, Gil found out that Kvar had the technology of controlling a summon spirit much more efficiently than Magnius, and that Kvar had scouted out all possible mana sites in Sylvarant, minus the one at Triet.

But the most shocking part was that Kvar seemed to be designing a project that could turn the mana against a person by implanting a shard of controlled mana into the person's body, and ultimately causing the person's body to deteriorate until the person lost all senses and feeling, and eventually died. "Sounds like some type of mechanism for torture," Gil muttered, "I wonder if any other Cruxis branch knows about this."

Gil glanced at his watch and estimated that he had been studying the documents on the desk for nearly an hour. He was about to move on to other materials when a text message suddenly arrived on his cell. It was Dell informing Gil that Kvar was on his way back. Quickly, he tried to re-order the desk so that everything looked like it was the way before Gil entered the office. After checking everything one last time, Gil climbed out of the window, and left the office just as Kvar re-entered from the side door.

But instead of returning inside, Gil chose to stay and watch Kvar for a couple more minutes. The move paid off, as the Asgard Cruxis leader dialled his phone and gave some specific instructions. "Be prepared to invade the mausoleum," he ordered, "When the research team reaches the top where the so-called summon spirit is, go in and take them out, even the summon spirit."

Hearing that, Gil cursed under his breath, knowing that Lloyd was about to get himself in big trouble again. Sneaking back inside the building, he contemplated different ways of stopping or stalling the operation. "Research data, mana crystals, there has to be a weakness for me to exploit," Gil murmured as he entered the building. He updated Dell and Chatman on the status, and asked for a strategy session.

"We know that just like that case with Magnius, Forcystus probably has no idea that Kvar is attacking. But knowing that he has almost his entire group at Balacruf, I doubt we can catch him off guard," Dell analyzed. Sighing, he turned to face Gil, "I don't know about you, but I don't think there's anything that can divert his mission right now. We're pretty much sitting ducks until those guys come back."

"Great, while they get all the fun wreaking havoc at Balacruf, we're stuck here watching paint dry," Chatman said, annoyed, "Why are we never the ones to cause a scene? We miss out on all the fun stuff."

Gil paused. "Actually, that may not be a bad idea," he decided, much to Dell's shock, "Since there aren't many people here, any havoc caused by Chatman will have a bigger impact. After all, if we make life difficult here, Kvar has to react, and could make his Balacruf mission go bad." Gil nodded at Chatman and continued, "We'll just have Mr. Troublemaker here do most of the hard work and just wait for a chance to catch him off guard. Make yourself useful now, Chatman."

Dell could only gape at them open-jawed as Gil and Chatman left the area, further discussing their plans. Dell glanced back at the office, and could see Kvar moving out to gather his remaining men into the main control room. Knowing that the crazy plan might be their only shot, Dell reluctantly agreed to go with it, all the while wondering what might be happening in Balacruf Mausoleum within the next hours.

* * *

"So same deal as before," Sheena explained, "I'll summon the spirit and see if we can work out a deal to let us study them. Sounds fair?"

The group nodded apprehensively as Sheena repeated her procedure from Thoda Geyser. Again, the rest of the research group stood in a semi-circle behind her, with Genis aiming his camera at the pedestal. "How's the feeling in your spine?" Lloyd asked, "Is it as strong as the one you felt back in Thoda?"

"There's definitely a tingling feeling there, yes," Genis replied, "I'm not feeling it as strong in one area. It seems like whatever the source is here, the mana can be split and come from different sources. But then again, I'm also starting to get used to the location and manipulation of mana, so it may not have as big an impact this time around."

But just before Sheena finished her full summoning, a group of invaders burst into the room. In a fashion similar to Thoda, the entire group was placed under hostage, with weird machinery set up all over the chamber. But instead of mass chaos, the mana was relatively unchanged, at least according to Genis, who claimed to have not felt any different than a few minutes ago. "What's going on here? Why isn't it working?" the leader of the invaders demanded, checking his team members' mana gauges.

"That's because I haven't finished the summoning yet," Sheena spat, "Until I finish, there's nothing you can do here. And if you want me to finish the job, then you'll do as I say and let the rest of the team go."

Lloyd was about to scold Sheena for letting herself be a bargaining chip again when Raine elbowed him hard in the ribs. The invaders seemed uneasy, but at the same time, they were aware that if Sheena did not finish her job, there would be no mana available. Reluctantly, they lowered their weapons on the research team and released them one by one. "You guys head on out first," Sheena instructed, "I'll be fine."

Mark and Frank led the group out quickly, with Lloyd apprehensively looking back one last time. He could see Sheena stepping up to the pedestal and mumbled a few more words. Before the beams of mana could shoot out, Colette and Genis came back up and literally dragged Lloyd out of the way. "Sheena probably knows what she's doing, so we should just try and get out while we still can," Colette reminded Lloyd.

Just as they turned into another hallway, they could hear more footsteps going up to the final chamber. Lloyd, Colette and Genis turned to see another group similar in numbers as to the invasion team move up there. Wanting to catch a better glimpse, Lloyd grabbed Colette by the wrist and waved for Genis to follow him. The threesome sneaked off and returned to the staircase leading to the top, where the second group now entered the large chamber. "I never expected there to be three at once," the leader of the first group could be heard shouting, "We'll disrupt their mana anyway, and see how much we can get out of each one. Turn the machines on!"

Lloyd and Colette remained relatively low to the ground, but Genis had his video camera on and aimed it at the three summon spirits above. Despite the dim setting, Genis could tell that they had feminine facial features and butterfly-like wings. "They must be representative of the wind elemental, just like what the carvings showed," he muttered.

But just as this was done, the second group that Lloyd and company followed took charge, busting into the chamber with their weapons blazing. Before long, another gunfight ensued, with bullets ricocheting off the walls. Members of both teams were being hit, and in between it all, Sheena was nowhere to be found. As everyone hit the deck, they could hear the bullets through the air, and smell the odours of the guns as the bullets sizzled out the barrels. And, just like in Thoda, the summon spirits were relatively undisturbed, floating above and observing everyone with intent.

Finally, the gunfire began to cease in both quantity and frequency. From their position, Lloyd and company could see the leader of the second group approach the pedestal again, this time with Sheena by his side. He told Sheena to finish with her work, all the while his team took care of the rest of the bodies. Upon hearing that, Lloyd and company quickly filed out, trying to get back to the outside without being seen.

Daylight never felt so good when the two humans and one half-elf stepped out of the mausoleum. Of course, the two professors and Raine were very worried about them and were about to give them a mouthful when they saw another group of people coming out with bullet wounds. At a closer glance, the research team recognized the injured members as the invasion crew. Before the research team could offer assistance, these members hoped back onto their vehicles and left, some still bleeding profoundly. Lloyd and company were completely flabbergasted. Who were they? Why did they invade just when Sheena reached the summon spirit pedestal? And where was Sheena?

* * *

"For the last time, I am not giving away that information, so don't even bother to ask again," Kvar replied bitterly as Chatman assailed him for betraying Cruxis by not sharing his plans. It was decided by Gil that Chatman would annoy Kvar while Gil and Dell took to questioning the others for the mole. So far, their plans worked quite well, as Kvar was increasingly distracted and annoyed, while Gil and Dell managed to get some information from the others with regards to the mission.

"I have a call, so get out," Kvar snapped as he picked up his phone. Chatman originally persisted, but Gil waved him out of the office for a regrouping. While Dell updated Chatman on what they found, Gil kept his eyes peeled for the inside of the office. Kvar's expression changed within seconds, signifying that the field team probably failed.

"Don't bother coming back then, treat your injuries yourself. I'm tired of having you incompetent people around here," Kvar could be heard angrily scolding the person on the other line. Upon hearing that, Gil had pondered calling Forcystus, as his hand reached into his pocket feeling for his phone. Just beside him, Dell finished updating Chatman, who had his eyes larger than saucers as he heard the secret plans.

As luck would have it, Forcystus gave Gil a call just as Gil wanted to dial for the Iselia leader. During the conversation, the Iselia leader informed Gil that, thanks to an insider fromo the Tethe'alla branch, Forcystus already knew of the botched plan. Gil also leaked Kvar's secret information to Forcystus, who decided that Kvar was no longer a trustworthy enough associate. "We have to get rid of him as quickly as possible, and this involves making sure that he's gone for good. Know what I mean?" Forcystus told Gil.

"Isn't that a bit excessive?" Gil asked, "I mean, you're actually contemplating taking out one of the people that helped us get all the research information."

"You can't be soft-hearted. Always remember that you shouldn't place complete faith in people. Besides, I have no more use for him, knowing that I got everything I want from Rodyle. Don't disappoint me, Gil." With that, the line went dead, leaving Gil to mull over the options. Either he could do the honours and forever have blood on his hands, or he could get the police involved, and risk having his identity exposed. Either way, it would involve major strategizing and manipulative action.

He glanced at Dell and Chatman again, who now looked at Gil as leader and waited for his instructions. Gil racked his brain hard, trying to think of anything to get his idea working. "Alright, here's what I want you to do," Gil began listing off instructions for the two to continue observing the rest of the people there while Gil took on Kvar.

As Dell and Chatman were off, Gil immediately pulled out his phone. Making sure no one was near him, he dialled for Iselia and got Chief Marshall on the line. Explaining his dilemma to the chief, he asked for any advice on how to deal with the issue. "If Kvar is still walking the streets alive, Forcystus will suspect me for sure."

The chief also racked his brains, but it was a sticky situation nonetheless. "The only way you could do it is if Kvar posed a threat and had to be actually taken out by the police. And even then, what can you do to put him in danger? He seems more like the calculating type that doesn't make mistakes rather than the rash, go-it-alone guy."

Suddenly, Gil froze. Kvar might be a totally different person than Magnius, but it did not necessarily mean they had different attacks. If anything, he recalled seeing in one of the documents in Kvar's office that he had a mana staff quite similar to Magnius' but maybe somewhat stronger. What if that could be used to his advantage against Kvar? "Chief, I have an idea that might work, and I'm going to carry it out. Can you please contact Asgard's police department for me and tell them about the link between a gang shooting in Balacruf Mausoleum and the Cruxis headquarters?"

* * *

Lloyd's behaviour in this chapter is a response to I.K.A., who felt that Lloyd should be still suspicious of Gil. What I'm doing is making Lloyd play Gil at his own game: not revealing how much he actually knows and telling just enough to let people jump to their own conclusions. Makes him smarter, don't you think? Keep reading and reviewing!


	13. The Asgard Departure

**Fenrir of the Shadows** and **I.K.A. Valian **provided the reviews once more. As you've probably guessed, the plot and suspense is starting to thicken, as the number of Cruxis branches is about to decrease yet again. The following few chapters you will see Lloyd and Raine actually start to punch holes in Sheena and Gil's plans, which will lead to more action to follow. Things are starting to heat up!

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

As Lloyd and the rest of the group stared on, the invasion team, still with some members injured trudged back into their vehicles one by one and moved off. They did not say anything to the research team, going as far as to not looking in their direction at all. It was a strange development indeed, since not long ago, the research team was their target.

While the research team contemplated amongst themselves with regards to what just happened, Sheena exited from the mausoleum and stepped up to the group. "It's a done deal," she announced to the group, "I've gotten the mana piece here as well. The summon spirits were kind enough to do what Undine did and gave me a piece of their mana, so we can take it back and study it."

There was mild appreciation from some members of the group, but Raine, who most people expected to go crazy over the discovery by now, remained relatively restrained. Instead of bombarding Sheena with questions over what the summon spirit was, why it was there, how it helped keep the world together and so on, she crossed her arms and fixed an emotionless gaze at Sheena.

Lloyd was not blind to this change by Raine. "I'm guessing you're thinking about what I'm thinking about, aren't you?" Lloyd whispered to the half-elf.

"Sheena seems way too calm for someone who has been through two hijackings, and that's especially true when you consider her actions in Luin, when she offered to give herself up in exchange for your safety," Raine muttered, "I seriously believe there is something wrong with this picture; it looks like she's hiding something."

"Should we confront her about this? I mean, knowing that whatever she's allied with will follow us everywhere we go, our personal safeties aren't exactly at ease here," Lloyd pointed out.

Raine shook her head. "Not yet, not when there are so many people around. Besides, I have to know how everybody views this before taking real action. Do Colette and Genis recognize anything weird?"

Lloyd was about to answer when Frank spoke up. "I just got a call from Asgard police, and they say that this hijacking was somehow related to a gang activity in Asgard. They want us to go back to give a testimony."

"How did the police know we're here?" Colette asked.

"They checked us on the researchers list at the Balacruf Mausoleum Research Centre, so I say we get moving," Frank suggested.

* * *

Just as Lloyd and company were making their way back to Asgard, Gil was hovering near Kvar all day, trying to intimidate him and get him to lose his composure. "I doubt that botched mission will go down well with the others. And with the mole still hovering around Cruxis, I won't be surprised if the police are now on their way. You really should have listened to me and let us search the mole out, Kvar, because now you're in a jam and it'd take a miracle for you to work your way out of this one."

"Don't change the subject on me Gil," Kvar snapped, "It's obvious that Forcystus sent you and your two friends over just to spy on me and steal my research data. I won't be surprised that the mole was nothing more than a made-up story."

Just as this was said, Dell and Chatman burst into the scene. "Gil, there are cops all over the place. The mole must have alerted them about the invasion and now they've completely surrounded us," Dell reported.

"I think we should start evacuating quickly," Chatman suggested, "Last time in Palmacosta, Magnius met quite an explosive end. I'm usually the one that wants to get into fights, but even I'm not too convinced at our chances of winning."

Gil could see that, even without a change in facial expression, Kvar was getting a bit uncomfortable. Playing mind games was never easy with the white-haired half-elf, but Gil was determined to win nonetheless. "I doubt Kvar here is going to do anything, so if you want to, you evacuate first, and I'll meet you later on, after I've dealt with Kvar," Gil explained, giving the two half-elves a slight wink as he handed Dell the car keys.

Getting the message, Dell and Chatman immediately left the room, leaving the undercover police officer alone with the Asgard Cruxis leader. Not a word was spoken between the two as police surrounded the front entrance, with SWAT team members breaking down the door. Gil could only hope that Dell and Chatman got out safely when the police rampaged in. "This is pretty much your last chance, Kvar," Gil warned, "We run now, we may still be able to serve Cruxis. You stay and fight, and I'll be darn sure that you won't last a second."

Instead of heading to the door, Kvar headed deeper into his office. Digging through some old equipment, he pulled out another large staff similar to the one used by Magnius. Gil could see that it had different inscriptions, so he guessed that it was not likely to shoot fire, but a different elemental. "Do you know why I joined Cruxis?" Kvar asked as he prepared the staff's power.

When Gil did not respond, Kvar continued, "It's because that I was genuinely offered a chance to showcase my talents to the group. You see, unlike Magnius, who joined because of money, I truly had done quite a lot of research into the fields on mana and elementals of the world. But of course, my work was ridiculed and unaccepted by most humans, and had to be left for the back burner. When Forcystus offered me this chance, I knew it would let me get ahead, so I joined without hesitation. But to an extent, all Cruxis leaders joined for one reason: our contempt for the current establishment and the authorities. Knowing how far we've come, do you think I'll give in to some inferior police officers?" Kvar challenged Gil as he fully armed himself.

Gil remained silent as he tried to locate the sounds of the police officers. Knowing that the men in uniform were closing in, Gil decided to turn the tables on Kvar. "And do you know why I joined Cruxis?" Gil asked, smirking, "I've always told you that I joined because I know the police system well, and that I can use it to give Cruxis an advantage. But do you want to hear the other part of that story?"

Now it was Kvar who remained silent. Gil could hear the orders being called out by the police from the outside, requesting officers to search all rooms within the building as he continued telling his story, "I joined because a decade ago, my wife was killed right when she got out of the airport back in Iselia. I was still working for the police when that happened, and we managed to track her chain of events all the way back to Asgard. Oddly enough, we found that she was killed because she was about to expose an upstart gang to the local police. And upon further investigation, I found out that the upstart gang happened to be led by none other than yourself."

The strange silence in the room persisted despite the police's footsteps getting louder. It would only be a matter of time before the police burst in. "I've also said that I quit the force because I'm sick of their incompetence, but that's not entirely accurate. Everything that has happened from that day on is true, minus a small detail. You see, Forcystus was telling the truth when he suspected a police mole within the organization, and he was also telling the truth when he sent Dell, Chatman and myself to Palmacosta and Asgard to investigate this matter. But the detail that wasn't revealed to you was that the mole would be much closer to you than you think."

The banging of doors and yelling by officers were so clear that Gil could swear that they were just next door. "In fact, the mole was with you the entire time you carried out your missions in Luin and Balacruf Mausoleum, and observed each and every single one of your failed attempts for three years. That's right, the mole was me."

Just then, the usually emotionless Kvar displayed a flurry of expressions, ranging from shock, to anger, to feeling that he had been deceived. "What? But we trusted you, and you betray us like that? You've served me for three years, and I've given praise and support to you. I've even put in good words for you when you were going back to Iselia to serve Forcystus! And you repay me by siding with the cops?" he sputtered.

"Praise? Support? Don't make me laugh! You killed my wife, you made me lie to my son, and I spent ten years in Cruxis worrying about my identity. And when I was in Asgard, you, just like Magnius in Palmacosta, tried to get rid of me the first chance you got. Even when you saw me do a good job, you still held the view that I was of an inferior race. But all that played into my hands, as both Magnius and you are so caught up in belittling me that you both failed to notice where my true allegiance lied. Have fun explaining that to the cops, since they're just closing in," Gil sneered.

"You pathetic inferior being! I knew you shouldn't be trusted, and for your betrayal, you deserve death!" Kvar roared, raising his staff to cast a spell.

Just as Kvar raised his staff, the SWAT team burst into the room with their guns drawn. They barely caught a glimpse of Kvar hurling an electric spell at Gil, who dove for the ground. "Police, freeze! Drop your weapon and put your hands in the air!"

Kvar was so seething with anger at Gil's betrayal that he did not even address the SWAT team. He slowly stepped forward at the undercover police officer and pointed the staff at Gil for a final blow. "This one is for all of Cruxis," Kvar hissed menacingly.

"And this one is for Anna and Lloyd," Gil retorted. Right then, the SWAT team opened fire, spraying bullets into the office. Within seconds, the white-haired leader of Cruxis in Asgard slumped forward, landing on the ground beside Gil with a loud thud.

For a while, Gil was completely frozen, adrenaline pumping through his body by what just happened. But as the police stepped forward to apprehend him, a sigh of relief was breathed out. "Anna, Lloyd, I did it. I took out Kvar," he whispered as he was led away. He was still smiling as he was put into a police car and taken down to the station for further interrogation.

* * *

For the third time that week, the research team found themselves loitering around the police station. Lloyd and Raine were among the first to finish their testimonies. While the police worked on Sheena and Colette, Lloyd and Raine chose to slip away and discuss all their suspicions of the events of the past week.

"I already found it suspicious how Sheena handled the situation at Luin, and earlier at Balacruf Genis suspected that something was wrong as well, so I say Sheena must be involved in this somehow," Lloyd decided.

"So I guess we may have more stuff on our hands, stuff other than your dad," Raine analyzed, "You haven't told anyone about these suspicions, have you?"

"No, I'm trying not to reveal how much I know. Given that there are some people here who are either weary or prone to misinterpreting the situation, I want to keep this in the house," Lloyd replied, "For instance, we can't tell Colette for sure. I've known her since I was six and she's always been the type of person that puts a positive spin on any situation, no matter how bad it may seem. This notion of 'grin and bear it' isn't totally useful when it comes to investigations like these."

"Part of me wants to tell Genis, since he's pretty observant guy and has some idea on what's going on, but part of me wants to wait. Genis has always been, how should I say it, too open? That usually leads him to opening his mouth to the wrong group, and if he tells Frank or Grandma about this, we're in big trouble," Raine explained.

"So that means it is left to the two of us. Somehow, I really don't like our chances this way," Lloyd murmured, shifting his gaze away from the female half-elf.

Just as he turned his head, Lloyd heard an awfully familiar voice speaking from down the hall. "Well, I'm glad we got that one settled, and that I could have helped you in the investigation." It prompted Lloyd to spin around, and see another group of police officers exiting an interrogation room with a tall figure wearing a dark leather jacket. Although the figure had his back to Lloyd, Lloyd could have sworn from the sound of the voice that it was his father.

"You can't believe how long we've been after these guys," the staff sergeant said, "Ever since that first case of the murder from Iselia ten years ago, we've been watching this group grow and grow, and then for three years we had the mole in there help us out. I can't believe it would be the same mole who would return to finish the job after all these years. For that, you and Marshall both have our thanks."

"No worries," the tall figure responded, "Besides, I have an incentive to do this quickly as well, since the second all this is over I get my old job back." Lloyd could see the figure and the sergeant shake hands before the figure finally left the police station.

Lloyd wanted to follow, but Raine grabbed a hold of him. "Don't get hasty, we don't know who that person is yet," she warned.

"But he sounded almost exactly like my dad, and we know this group that invaded the mausoleum had been established in Asgard for some time, at least according to what the staff sergeant that interviewed us had said, and don't forget that my dad spent three years in Asgard," Lloyd recounted all the evidence, "So if that is my dad that just left the interrogation room, then I'm sure he must be involved in this in some way."

"That would be a good intuitive guess, but right now, intuition isn't what's required the most," Raine replied, "We require evidence; cold, hard facts that can prove that what we're looking for does indeed exist. It's like what archaeology is to history, where the ruins studied by archaeologists contribute to the refining and fine-tuning of theories about our history. Unless we dug up the evidence connecting Sheena's group and your dad to these invasions, what you say is merely speculation."

Lloyd groaned. "Do you have to link this to archaeology and ruins?"

But instead of getting angry, Raine merely reasserted her claim. "It only goes to show that, contrary to your beliefs, archaeology and study of history is useful and their methods can be applied to the modern world. If you don't believe me, you can go at it alone and see how much evidence you can come up with alone. But until then, relax."

As they walked back to the waiting area, Lloyd decided to inquire about Genis. "How do you know he'll tell your grandma about what's going on? I mean, I know he's really close to her, but given the seriousness of the situation, I don't think he'll reveal too much to her. We should be able to trust Genis to help us, can't we?"

"Genis has always been close to Grandma because he's always seen her as the sole motherly figure in his life. Our mother kind of disappeared while on a trip to visit Heimdall when he was two, and both our father and grandfather died in an airplane accident when he was six. At that time, Grandma jumped in and provided for us, but mainly for Genis, who was still young. That's why he's so close to her, and is willing to tell her all his problems." Raine sighed, feeling some emotion creep up on her, but she continued nonetheless, "If we do tell Genis of our plans, most likely he'll enlist the help of Grandma, and before long, everyone we know will be involved. That kind of destroys the original intent of us trying to figure out what's going on and confronting Sheena and your dad with it, don't you think?"

Lloyd winced. Although he did not completely approve of Raine's method, but who was he to argue? Reluctantly, he followed her back to the waiting room, where the entire group was assembled. Lloyd guessed that Raine was going to discuss where they were to go next and what they would do there, but one thing was for sure. Lloyd could not approach the group and interact in the same way again.

* * *

"I'm telling you, everything Gil did back when he was facing off against Kvar tells me that he had the cop thing going for him. If that doesn't show that he's a cop, then I don't know what will!" Chatman insisted, causing Dell to have quite a headache. The two obeyed Gil's orders and tried to evacuate as many of the Asgard Cruxis members as possible. Although there were only a few people in the headquarters at the time, they were reluctant to leave with Dell and Chatman. It was only when the police crashed their way in that the Cruxis members began moving out.

"Speaking of cops, I'm not sure if Gil managed to escape. I tried to call his cell but it didn't seem to be on," Dell pointed out. It had been hours since the evacuation and Dell and Chatman were in the safety of their hotel room waiting for their human partner to return. Although Gil promised that he would return safely, there was still no news of him. Part of Dell wanted to call Forcystus to report on what had happened, but another part of him wanted to wait for Gil. Gil had always been versatile, so why wouldn't he make it out safely, Dell thought.

Just as this possibility went through his head, the door opened and Gil stepped into the room. A sigh of relief came out from both half-elves as their partner returned safely. But before they could ask how Gil was doing, the former police officer cut them off with the news. "I did it, I took out Kvar," he reported monotonously.

That statement, with the tone that it was delivered, took the sail out of Dell, who gave Chatman a concerned look. Chatman, however, was oblivious to Dell, as he wanted to know the details of the job instead. "So how did you get it done? Did you get into a fight? And how did you get out?" Chatman asked excitedly, "You can tell me what action I missed out on, right Gil?"

Gil then shot him a look that sent shivers up the shorter half-elf's spine. "What's there to be said?" Gil retorted, "I did the job, I took out Kvar, and I left the building. There isn't much more to be said, so just report to Forcystus of the progress."

Hearing the unfriendly tone in Gil's voice, Dell did not bother pressing the issue. "But I have to know one thing though," he pointed out as he dialled for Forcystus, "How come you took so long to get back here? And why could I not contact you earlier?"

"I was trying to get away from the cops, since they were all over the place," Gil replied, which was partially true, as he never liked waiting for the Asgard police, or any police for that matter, to confirm his identity as a mole with Chief Marshall. While he waited in the interrogation room, he truly wanted to leave immediately. "As for why you couldn't reach me, my phone ran out of power. Now, if you excuse me, I want to go wash up." Gil reached into his bag, grabbed some clothes and headed for the bathroom.

"Are you sure you don't want to reveal any details about it?" Chatman asked again, "I mean, it's not that bad, is it?"

Hearing that, Gil turned and merely stated, "Let's just say that today is a day where I can be cleansed from my past, especially with this Kvar business." With that, he stepped into the bathroom and slammed the door shut.

Chatman gave Dell a confused look, wondering what was up with Gil's changed attitude. Dell only shrugged as he waited for the long distance call to connect. "Gil had always said Kvar was cruel towards him, so maybe that's why he's so temperamental?" he suggested to Chatman.

But before Chatman could respond, Forcystus picked up from the other line. "Sir, we can confirm that Gil had done the job and that Kvar is officially out of the picture." Dell reported to the Iselia Cruxis leader.

"So I've heard from the news. What about the police mole? Did you find any news or clues to his existence in Palmacosta and Asgard?" Forcystus asked.

"No, there's been nothing from Palmacosta other than those who left for Asgard after Magnius went down, and when Gil told us to evacuate, there were relatively few people left at the headquarters anyway. Most of them were at the botched mission to seize the mana from Balacruf Mausoleum," Dell explained.

"According to the news, the police acted on a tip from an anonymous source that the actions at Balacruf were linked to Asgard Cruxis. They also said that Kvar was killed in his office, and the police claimed they saw an unidentified figure move out just before they entered. So assuming you and Chatman were evacuating, and Gil was the person the police saw, it could be possible that the mole was with the Balacruf Mausoleum group, and is now out of our sights," Forcystus analyzed, "Or it could be that the mole was never there, and is in Iselia the entire time. You and Gil could be searching for nothing at all."

Dell paused, mulling over that possibility. Could they be on a wild goose chase all this time? Shaking that thought away, Dell returned to the call, "So what's the next move planned for Cruxis? Now that Magnius and Kvar are both out of the way, what's next?"

"Now that our two potential backstabbers are out of the way, I'm contacting Rodyle to begin resuming our latest operations. Pending on how Rodyle feels about getting the stuff delivered, we should be starting within the next week or so. And we may also need to do something about the rival group, just in case they get access to certain things that may hinder our progress. That would really stretch our staff, so I need you three back here by the end of the week," Forcystus instructed.

When Dell agreed from the other side, Forcystus hung up and returned to his work. Analyzing the possibilities, he weighed his options between pursuing the mole in Asgard or Luin or wherever they hid after the failed mission, or whether he should continue to pursue the mole in Iselia. Realizing that a chase would only waste more time and that Cruxis needed as many of its members as possible in the next week or two, he chose to put his efforts into searching for the mole in Iselia. Besides, he had a Cruxis mole in the police force, so why not rely on her? Picking up his phone again, he dialled for the police station, where a certain communications expert would be expected to report her progress to him.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the Special Investigations Unit at the Iselia Police Department, said communications expert was giving her update to the two captains. Although she had been given every resource available to a lower ranking officer, she was unable to locate the police mole in Cruxis. She also did not work on locating the Cruxis mole in the police, which happened to be herself.

But nonetheless, she still had to make up a story for her superiors to convince them that she was actually doing her job, and it just so happened that her low rank in the force gave her the perfect excuse. "Since I couldn't access some of the other files, I'm not able to find out much information about the Cruxis mole," she reported to the captains, "I'm not sure how much more I can find out without more access."

Captain Burton seemed to be satisfied with her response, but his counterpart from the Major Crimes Unit was not. "Are you sure you've exhausted every option? I mean, there are so many databases in the unit alone that I doubt the information you have found can be that limited," he challenged the officer.

"But also remember that she's of a very low rank in this unit," Burton calmly reminded his colleague, "Because of that, the number of files that she can access is very limited. The best we can do right now is to go with what we have and continue to make observations on our unit's members."

"How about increasing her access to the files? If you grant her permission to see more files, wouldn't that solve the problem?" the Major Crimes captain insisted.

"I could, but that would violate a bunch of privacy policies within the department, meaning I'll have the city ethics commissioner, the head of police union, and even the chief himself all over me," Burton clicked his tongue, "And should they find me breaking those rules and suspend my badge, you can kiss finding your mole goodbye."

Turning back to the female officer, he dismissed her from the office while the two captains discussed on the next course of action. The officer returned to her desk just as her cell phone rang, and one look at the caller ID and she realized what she was in for. Looking around to make sure no one was listening, she gently picked it up.

"I'm glad I found you," Forcystus said from the other side, "My team has just finished their mission in Palmacosta and Asgard and it seems like the mole is nowhere to be found there. How does everything look for you at the police station?"

"I have been unable to get much information out of the databases. It seems like that there are many different files, but none of them matched the names you have given," she quietly replied, "The police mole may be stored in a database not accessed by most of the regular staff here."

Forcystus let out a low growl, voicing his displeasure. This was not news that he wanted right now, especially when Cruxis was about to enter another crucial stage in their objectives. "Whatever the case, is it possible to find the mole with other methods?"

"The chances of successfully finding the mole with other methods are slimmer, so it may take more time, but theoretically, it's possible," the officer replied, "I'm guessing you may not want to wait that long?"

"No, because we're starting our next operation within the next week or two, so you only have a limited amount of time to find the mole," Forcystus explained, "We can go ahead with the mission, but you have to be extra careful when we act. Be on the lookout for any actions by your superiors over there." With that, he hung up, leaving the officer alone to stew in her thoughts.

* * *

"So I guess you're heading back then, or at least you'll be closer to home," Lloyd said as the research team loaded their luggage at the Asgard airport. After another success in retrieving a mana piece from the summon spirit at Balacruf Mausoleum, who was later identified to be Slyph, the wind elemental, Frank and Mark decided to head to Triet and analyze the one at the Triet ruins. Although there was also one allegedly found in the Tower of Mana, a tall ancient structure northeast of Luin, they chose to go to an area that had already been studied and mapped out first, and that meant encountering Efreet again.

"Yeah, we're going to the Triet ruins again, but we're probably not going to summon for another few days. It's mainly for studying the area more thoroughly first, since unlike Balacruf and Thoda, the Triet ruins have only been studied for a few times," Raine explained, "What about you? Are you heading back to Iselia, or are you guys going to continue the road trip?"

"We're probably going to continue, starting with Luin, where we didn't truly get a chance to visit the area after the last fiasco," Lloyd replied, "Then we're probably visiting Hima before coming back." Just then, Lloyd turned his head and saw someone familiar. "If you excuse me, Raine, I think I ought to say hi to my dad."

Indeed, there was Gil, putting his bags into another luggage check-in lane. But there was something different about him today, something that Lloyd did not see in Gil for nearly a decade. "So, are you heading home? You found what you've been looking for here in Asgard?" Lloyd asked his father.

Gil turned to Lloyd. "Yeah, I finally found closure, and can close at least part of a sad chapter of my life for the last ten years. Once you get back to Iselia, I'll see if I can find a chance to tell you all about it. And by the way, I'm glad you got out alright from the mausoleum; it was all over the news."

"Yeah, it was pretty hair-raising, and afterwards I was at the police station getting interviewed again. By the way, I thought I saw you at the station. Why were you with the police, or were you there at all?" Lloyd questioned his father.

Gil pursed his lips, trying not to reveal everything. Lloyd tried to look into his father's eyes, trying to pry an answer out of him. Finally, Gil faced Lloyd and gave an answer, albeit one that Lloyd wasn't looking for. "It was just a minor accident I got into. I just had to fill out an incident report, so nothing special," Gil replied, "I don't know much about this group that invaded Balacruf, although I overheard from some of the officers hovering around that they were related to a gang established in Asgard for a decade."

Gil then did something Lloyd totally did not expect: he cracked a smile. "I'm just glad you got out of there safely. You don't know how much your safety means to me. We may not be as close as a usual father-and-son should be, but always remember that as your father, I'll always be there for you, even when you don't expect it."

That seemed to have cracked Lloyd's armour, as the spiky-haired teen couldn't help but to give his father a tight hug. Father and son stayed in that embrace, and for that time, were oblivious to the world around them. It was not until Dell called for Gil to get ready to go through security that they released each other. It could truly be said that for the first time in ten years, father and son were beginning to bond again.

As Gil turned to head for the security check, Lloyd could not help but say one more thing. "Dad, I never realized that by being that open, you were such a caring person. You should try showing that side of you more often."

* * *

Again, I tried that technique of using object placement, symbolic words in dialogue, and even sights and sounds to emphasize certain elements in this chapter. I'm not sure if I did this as well in this chapter as compared to the last two. Again, please review and give me your fair judgment. Thank you!


	14. The Dilemma

Again, thanks to **Fenrir of the Shadows **and **I.K.A. Valian** for the reviews. In this chapter, you'll see a bit more into Gil's past, and how Lynn Sage (Genis and Raine's grandmother) played a role in it. There won't be as much "Show-don't-tell" here, but there will be another reference to Anna's novel, which is another new writing technique I'm trying. More on this at later chapters.

When I was first developing Lynn, I figured "Why not spice things up a bit and make her tackle problems directly?" So I added her husband and son (Genis and Raine's grandfather and father, respectively), the daughter-in-law (Virginia, if you go according to TOS canon), and taking a psychologist's role to Gil. In conclusion, Lynn turned out to be a mix between Marble from TOS (grandmotherly figure to Genis, but she won't die) and Dr. Madolyn Madden from The Departed (Billy Costigan's psychiatrist). Enjoy!

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

As the plane finally touched down in Iselia, Gil could not help but feel a sense of accomplishment. Not only had he cracked two Cruxis branches, but he could also return to Forcystus and take back his role as the police mole. He could tell that after the events of the past week or so, the structure of Cruxis was beginning to weaken, as internal strife was bound to cause Forcystus concentrate on getting his missions off and less on who or where the mole would be. Gil estimated that it would only be a matter of time before the entire Cruxis structure would collapse and his mission would be completed.

"Well guys, I'm going home," Gil told his two half-elf partners, "I've had enough excitement for now, and it's time for me to take a breather. Call me if Forcystus has any new plans." With that, he picked up his luggage and headed for the exit of the airport. He stepped outside onto the sidewalk and hailed a taxi. After loading his bags into the trunk, he hopped into the back and gave the driver his address.

"So, are you heading home after a vacation? Where did you go?" the driver asked as he left the airport and went onto the roads.

"I came back from Asgard. You could say it was like a vacation, but it's more for my personal 'searching,' if you know what I mean," Gil replied, which was partially true.

"Asgard, an interesting place," the driver nodded. As they journeyed through the city, Gil could not help but get a sense of a completed cycle.

Funny how things worked out, Gil thought to himself, Anna was killed just as she exited the airport, which led me into this undercover mission. Now, I've taken out both the Palmacosta and Asgard branches of Cruxis, and I finish it off with exiting the airport myself too. Things truly went full cycle here.

But just as Gil entered the front door, his home phone rang. Rushing to pick it up, he was surprised to find the police chief calling him. "We have a problem," he reported, "The SIU cannot identify the Cruxis mole, meaning there is still a spy within the force. And now you've told us that Cruxis was taken out in both Palmacosta and Asgard, it may actually be advantageous to Forcystus. He can now act unilaterally and proceed with some of his other missions without having to worry about his rivals."

This was not news Gil wanted to hear, as he cursed under his breath. "But now that you're back in town, maybe you can start observing Cruxis again. It may be our only chance to crack this guy's plans," Chief Marshall pleaded with Gil.

"Alright, I'll do everything I can. But I just entered the house, so it may take a few days before I can get back into their fold and start observing things," Gil responded.

"Just make sure you let nothing off the hook, or else we're in big trouble. Good luck," Marshall stated before hanging up. Gil also put the phone down, a grim expression on his face. It seemed like that while one part of his journey ended, another part was far from ending, and this time the stakes were even higher.

* * *

"So why don't we go over what Raine and I found out the last time we went to the Triet ruins," Frank suggested to his Palmacosta colleague. It was a day after arriving in Iselia, and while Mark and Sheena booked a hotel room, Raine and Frank returned to their respective homes and got a good night's rest. In addition, the two brought some of the information they gathered from their last visit to Triet back to their lab in the University of Iselia and decided to share it with their Palmacosta counterparts, before they actually tackle the Triet ruins.

"So last time you went to the Triet ruins, the summon spirit actually showed up? Interesting," Mark commented, his eyes scanning all over the laptop screen.

While the two professors hunkered down over the maps and notes, Sheena tried to get some information out of Raine. "So, what was the summon spirit like? Did you guys get any information on its type, element, battle tactic, and so on?"

Raine looked at Sheena thoughtfully. Seeing that she was asking for a bunch of information that only she and Frank held, Raine realized she could try and get Sheena to, even if she did not notice it, reveal some information with regards to her allegiances. "Well, knowing that Triet is located in the middle of a desert, it would be obvious that a fire elemental would be present. But as for everything else, such as how to summon it and what to do to get its mana piece, I think that'll be based on how you plan to approach it. Why don't you tell me a bit about your summoning, such as where you learned it and what you plan to do with it before the summon spirits, and I'll see how I can help."

"Well, as mentioned before, summoning is a long lost art, so not a lot of people know too much about it," Sheena began. Raine listened with interest, trying to gain bits and pieces that could allow her to gain the upper hand. Sheena did reveal a bit about her heritage in Mizuho, and how that group had an unusually high number of people who either had summoning ancestors or were interested in summoning. "It's basically in our history, given the fact that the reunification heroine from Mizuho was a summoner."

"Fascinating," Raine murmured, still thinking to herself. Sheena did reveal a bit about the background towards her summoning, but so far no information on whom she learned these skills from and what role those people from Luin played in this journey. "So you said before that you were interested in researching summoning, but to whom did you exactly turn to for any advice like this? I mean, being a lost art, it's not exactly a skill you can pick up from some 'How-to' book, you know," Raine pointed out.

"Right, and that's why there are ancient documents from Mizuho that I can turn to for reference. Since we really admire our heroine, most of her summoning at that time was well documented, although after the reunification of the world, there was very little documentation." Sheena replied, "Outside of that, I know some people within Tethe'alla that have some knowledge of this via research into their regions allegedly home to these spirits, so I can get them to give me some support, if necessary."

Raine was about to press further when a familiar voice interrupted her. "Mind if I join you guys?" the voice asked.

The group all looked up, and, much to their surprise, saw Gil Irving take a seat on the other side of the table. "I thought I'd find you guys here, so maybe I should drop in and say hi," he greeted, shrugging.

"We were talking about going to the Triet ruins again, since we were successful in both Thoda Geyser and the Balacruf Mausoleum. Do you plan on joining us again?" Frank asked the former police officer.

As the exchange between Frank and Gil continued, Raine could not help but feel a sense of uneasiness. She wanted to grill Sheena further on summoning, but with Gil in the picture, she was afraid that too much interrogating might cause suspicion. And to further complicate things, Gil was also one of her targets, meaning her attention would be significantly stretched, as she needed to observe two people at once. "There has got to be a way out of this," she murmured to herself.

Fortunately for her, Gil's distraction also meant Sheena thought Raine had stopped her cross-examination. Picking up her folder, she moved back towards the two professors, who were continuing to map out the entire area. Seeing Sheena and Gil in nearly the same position, Raine could make her observations more clearly. Throughout the entire meeting, she could see Sheena trying to make several references towards the summon spirit of the area. While Frank explained the volcanic nature of this spirit (courtesy of Lloyd's annoying cell phone tone), Sheena did not get too much information from Frank. Raine could not see a change in Sheena's expression, but was relieved that Frank did not reveal too much, as that would defeat her objective to probing Sheena.

But Gil was a totally different case from Sheena. Instead of asking questions and making comments, he remained relatively silent throughout the entire meeting. Raine could not get any reaction out of him, as he remained stoic and emotionless the entire time. Raine could not tell what he was thinking, what he wanted, or why he was here at all. Comparing the two targets, it was obvious to the female half-elf that Gil would be the tougher case to solve.

As Frank called for a lunch break, Raine approached Gil to try and probe him. "So, how was Asgard? Did you get to do what you wanted to do?" she asked.

"Asgard was fine. I managed to get some closure ten years after Anna's death, considering that Asgard was the last place she was in before her death," Gil replied.

"I'm surprised you're free today, considering that it's a weekday, and that means you probably have to work," Raine commented, trying to open the can.

"Theoretically I'm still somewhat free, so I decided to check out some interesting stuff from the last visit to Triet. Since I heard from Lloyd that you guys made discoveries in Thoda and Balacruf, I wanted to come and see if you guys are going back to Triet," Gil explained. This was not actually a complete lie, since Forcystus had also kept an eye on the research group's progress, and earlier had asked Gil to approach them and pry some information out of them. He was expected to report back to Forcystus later on, but Gil somehow doubted that Forcystus would take action the way Magnius and Kvar did.

"That's good. It's always rewarding to learn something new, especially in history and archaeology, where the truth isn't always that evident. Sometimes it's hidden pretty well, and it takes a lot of work to uncover it, don't you agree?" Raine retorted, trying to take another glance at Gil.

Gil avoided eye contact with Raine. Although he tried not to show it, deep down he knew Raine might be trying to subliminally teach Gil a lesson. He had been trying to hide too much from his friends and family, and as those around him grew and matured, it was getting harder to prevent the truth from getting out. Somehow, between all the spying and informing the police behind people's backs, Gil failed to realize that those around him were beginning to ask questions. "Perhaps it's not because the truth was hidden," Gil replied, "Maybe it's because sometimes there are people who don't want the truth revealed completely, or at least not until the time is right."

But before Raine could ask Gil what he meant, Gil's cell phone rang, which practically saved him from further questioning. It was Forcystus on the other line, and he wanted Gil to give a report on the activities as soon as possible. "Alright, I'm on my way right now," Gil reported. With that, he excused himself from the research team, leaving Raine to stand there, still wondering what had just happened. Outside, Gil hopped back into his Audi V8 and drove off for the Cruxis headquarters in Iselia.

* * *

As Gil strolled through the halls of the headquarters on his way to Forcystus' office, he couldn't help but re-familiarize himself with the surroundings. He had only been gone for a week or so, but with all the events that had happened within Cruxis and between him and Lloyd, it seemed like much longer than that.

As he reached the office, he could see a petite young woman step out from there. Gil could not put his finger on it, but it definitely seemed like there was something unusual with her. But before he could get a closer look, Forcystus summoned him in. "Why don't you tell me what you found out from Dr. Brunel?" he asked.

Gil went through the details from the meeting. He recalled the professors mapping out the entire area of the ruins, and comparing it to the sites at Thoda and Balacruf. He also described them going through the ruins the first time, and how Colette's collision with the pedestal and Lloyd's cell phone tone caused the spirit to go crazy. Forcystus listened with interest, noting the many details of this meeting. Both men realized that the operation at hand would require much more strategizing than the last two attacks.

"So you're saying that they've already gotten mana pieces from two areas, and have studied them thoroughly, and now they're going for their third?" Forcystus asked.

"According to the plans, yes," Gil replied, "The summoning expert with them seems to be from the rival group, at least from what I heard back in Asgard. What are our plans for this operation? I doubt we'll attack the Triet ruins, considering what happened with the last two missions."

"You're absolutely right in the fact that we won't be attacking. Sometimes, we must use other techniques to gain the mana from the rival group. Both Magnius and Kvar failed in the sense that they went after the direct source, as both attempts ended in failure because external factors got in the way; Magnius with the Coast Guard, and Kvar with the rival group. What we need is an indirect, but more effective method," Forcystus explained, digging through his desk.

Before long, the green-haired half-elf pulled out a strange looking box. He opened the top, revealing several round, vitreous spheres neatly assembled in the box. Forcystus gently lifted one a placed it before Gil, who picked it up with suspicion. "Do you know what these are?" Forcystus asked.

Gil had a confused look on his face. "Marbles?" he replied, dumbfounded.

"These are Exspheres, developed courteous of Rodyle, our associate in Tethe'alla, who had been stealing research data from Kvar for years," Forcystus responded with a smirk, "They are based on an ancient magi-technology piece that is able to penetrate into the body and tap sources of mana that a regular person could not use. Many of the most famous war heroes used these pieces to enhance their fighting ability."

Gil rolled the Exsphere in his hand as Forcystus leaned back on his chair, the light casting a shadow on his face as he continued, "Rodyle told me that he also developed an advanced form of Exsphere called a Cruxis Crystal that can be parasitic, making people lose control of their body until they slowly die away. While ordinary Exspheres can do that anyway, the advanced type will speed up the process and cause quicker deterioration. But in general, Exspheres and Cruxis Crystals all give our subjects the same symptoms. They initiate loss of the five senses, loss of feeling in the body, and loss of consciousness. Once all symptoms are reached, the person will lose control of their body and become a fighting machine, treating everything around as an enemy and attacking ruthlessly."

Gil cocked an eyebrow, realizing what massive power he had in his hand right now. "So, what do you plan to do with the Exsphere then?" he asked.

Forcystus moved his face closer to Gil's, the lamp on the desk creating a round spotlight that illuminated his face perfectly. "We are going to pay Dr. Brunel a quick visit, warning him that we have a very powerful weapon in our hands. If he does not cooperate, we will not hesitate in making his daughter a subject of this experiment. And since you are very close to both the professor and his family, I suggest you do the honours," Forcystus suggested.

Gil's heart nearly skipped a bit. Here, he was ready to restart his relationship with his son and friends, but what he was about to do would betray his original objective. Yet, if he did not do it, there would be no way he could crack the case. Quickly, he thought of a way out of it. "Shouldn't this be tested first? I mean, how do we know that this thing even works the way you just mentioned?" Gil inquired.

"Again, courtesy of Rodyle, he created a test Exsphere and implanted it onto the mole we sent into the police. That one has all its functions suspended, meaning that the mole had all the symptoms present, but won't be killed by it. Rodyle told me that this was the work of a Key Crest, which makes the Exsphere safe to use," Forcystus described, "If you want to know more, try searching the Meltokio National Research Academy and the library at the University of Sybak, both of which Rodyle has connections to thanks in part to his past as a researcher. But for now, that's what we're going with. Attach one onto Dr. Brunel's daughter, and if he still refuses, attach one to a family member of his assistant."

Gil could feel some cold sweat dripping down the back of his neck, as he realized he would be attacking his closest friends. They were Colette, daughter of Frank, and Lynn Sage, grandmother to Raine and Genis. Forcystus seemed to be reading his mind, as he insisted, "You can't be too soft, Gil. If we want to achieve our goal of creating a world without these inferior beings, we have to be harsh. My goal to the entire mission is to present myself as a fearsome god of death to my enemies, and that includes using extreme tactics like this. Do you understand, Gil?"

Gil nodded solemnly, but he was still unsure of the mission. "I don't mind taking the mission, but I would like to have a couple of days to think it over," he requested.

"Forty-eight hours, and that's it. If you have no answer for me by then, I'll send somebody else. But as for trying to dissuade me, I say forget it. My decision on this is final," Forcystus decided. With a wave of the hand, he dismissed Gil from the office.

* * *

The elderly Lynn Sage slowly opened the front door to her house, and, much to her surprise, found Gil standing before her. "You got a few minutes?" Gil asked, "I want your help with something."

"Sure, anything for a friend," Lynn said, letting the former police officer in. Gil took a seat at the dining room table while Lynn went to the kitchen to get a drink for both of them. "Tea okay for you, Gil?" she asked.

"That's fine," Gil replied monotonously, "Is Raine not home yet?"

"No, she said she had to meet with her research group. It was something about going back to Triet, and that they were leaving in a couple of days," Lynn recalled.

Gil nodded. Lynn could tell that something was definitely troubling Gil. "No point in stuffing your unhappiness deep down inside, so you might as well spill it."

Gil sighed. "Right now, I'm caught in a small dilemma, and I really want to talk to someone I trust, and that happens to be you. I trust you can help me with this, right?"

Lynn smiled. "Gil, I've been helping you for the last ten years, giving you advice on anything from getting over your wife's death, to raising Lloyd, to being around people again. What makes you think I can't help you?"

**Eight years ago…**

_"Gil, can you at least calm down? You're making everyone around you nervous and intimidated!" Lynn pleaded. Despite the fact that Anna died two years ago, Gil was still quite upset about it, and was in such a fragile mental state that some of his former colleagues with the police actually recommended psychological therapy._

_"Look, the shrink doesn't understand my problem, and I doubt anyone of you can, so why don't you just stay out of this, okay?" Gil told the elderly lady in an angry tone._

_"Look, we're your friends, Gil. We're just trying to help you," Lynn insisted. She could tell that Gil was extremely troubled by something, thus leading to his often angry outbursts. But what type of trouble was he facing? Lynn was determined to find out._

_But cooperation from her friend was not easy to come by, as the former police officer continued to berate her. Finally, Lynn realized that enough was enough. "Gil, we are your friends and we never turned our backs on you! Ever!" she yelled._

_That caused Gil to pause momentarily, which was just enough time for Lynn to proceed with her argument. "When your wife was murdered, we were there to mourn with you. When you were going through the trouble of raising Lloyd by yourself, we all jumped to your aid. We even helped you through your transition to another job after you quit the force. What makes you think we can't help you now?" Lynn demanded._

_Gil looked at his elderly friend, the expression on his face would be something Lynn would never forget. It showcased a wide spectrum of emotions, from anger, to pain, to sadness, and even desperate. "It's complicated, I can't reveal too much," Gil replied in defeat. He wanted to tell, but doing so would jeopardize his identity as a police mole._

_"I know you're still in a lot of pain, but remember that none of us are ever going to be in paradise all the time. Remember that a few months after your wife's death, Genis and Raine lost their mother, as she disappeared on a trip to Heimdall and until today we have no news of her. Yet we're still hanging on, trying to figure out what ways we can use to find out what has happened, and whether she's still alive or not. I didn't give up hope, and neither did my son, my husband, and even Genis and Raine, so don't you give up so quickly," Lynn soothed Gil, "Tell me as much as you can, and we'll see what we can do to help you out. Alright?" she suggested._

_And from that day on, Gil found a confidant in Lynn Sage. Although he still did not reveal anything about his secret identity, he still tried to express his emotions in a non-destructive manner, despite having to twist words just to hide the truth. Lynn was a great listener, and with her empathy and experience, pulled Gil through the toughest times. Throughout the years, Lynn made sure Gil never forgot who he was fighting for: his late wife and his growing son. She even suggested to Gil that should he be short on inspiration, he should turn to Anna and Lloyd._

"And that's what kept you going all these years," Lynn reminded, "Your wife and your son. So if you're in another dilemma, don't ever forget that they are the two people that you should be turning to."

Gil smiled. Outside of Anna and Lloyd, he could truly say that Lynn Sage was his biggest inspiration. Despite her old age, she was still sharp as a tack despite all the troubles in her life. Even though she lost her husband and son in an airplane accident, her daughter-in-law still missing, and raising Genis almost entirely on her own, Gil could truly see what a strong woman she was. But was she ready to handle what was about to happen to her? "Well, my dilemma is that I am about to finish the biggest achievement in my career. Once this is done, I can bring my life back together again. But the catch is, Lloyd and the rest of my friends may be hurt by this, and I really don't know if I should proceed and put you guys through pain, or I should reject the it and continue to live this somewhat distant lifestyle from my family and friends," Gil explained.

Lynn thought for a minute or so, the silence creating a haunting atmosphere. Gil wondered if this might be what it felt like to wear a Cruxis Crystal, and shuddered at the thought. Finally Lynn spoke up. "Well, I think the main thing is that you have to do what you think is best for your family. If it means making some sacrifices here and there, I say it's worth it. Besides, I'm sure there are back-up plans to your scenario, given the fact that I doubt your employer will leave you with no options, right?"

"If you only knew, Lynn, if you only knew," Gil replied, shaking his head. He doubted that Forcystus was joking when he told Gil that the decision would be final, meaning the second Gil refused the mission, someone else would be onto it. Gil would much rather tackle the mission himself, knowing that he could control the situation and prevent too much harm from coming to Colette or, if Frank did not surrender, Lynn.

"Well, I'm sure you have certain colleagues that can help you. If you leave them enough of a back-up plan, everything will be alright. Remember, when you first fell into depression a decade ago, it was your former police colleagues that had recommended therapy, so you never know what your co-workers can do for you," Lynn pointed out.

Suddenly, Gil's expression changed. "I think you just gave me some inspiration there. There may just be a way out of this without sacrificing too much of anything to Lloyd and you guys. Thank, Lynn. I knew I could always count on you," Gil replied. With that, he finished his tea in one swig and left the house.

"I'm glad you managed to figure it out, Gil," Lynn commented quietly as she closed the front door, "We all believe in you, and we certainly hope one day you and Lloyd can live like a true father-and-son again."

* * *

The second Gil stepped back inside his home, he charged upstairs to his room and began scouring the internet. He went through the sources he gathered from Kvar, as well as most of the academic sites from research centres in Tethe'alla. He worked late into the night, but managed to gather enough information to fill his needs. By the next morning, Gil only needed to return to the computer to compile all his data. Checking it over one last time, he put the information into a memory stick, and gave the police a call. "May I speak to the captain of the Major Crimes Unit please?" Gil asked.

After a short wait, Gil managed to get the captain on the line. "Captain, I have some very important information to give you. It's regarding a certain Cruxis project that will be carried out in the near future. Lives will be at stake, and it may lead to their major project that will threaten national security. I have to meet you somewhere today. Are you available?"

After confirming a time and location, Gil immediately hopped into his Audi and took to the streets, heading straight for the Cruxis headquarters. He did not even bother to talk to anybody in the headquarters, even when Dell and Chatman paused to greet him. Instead, he went directly to Forcystus' office, bursting in without warning and giving the Iselia Cruxis leader quite a shock with his entrance. "Forcystus, I've made up my mind on the mission," Gil announced.

Forcystus stopped what he was doing and listened with interest. "I've decided to tackle the mission, but I have two conditions. First, Dell and Chatman will do the mission with me. Since they worked with me the longest in Cruxis, I have the most faith in them. Second, knowing that Frank's daughter Colette will be our target, my son is bound to get involved in this. When he does, I want to handle negotiations with him by myself only. If these two conditions are met, then I'll do everything you asked of the mission." Gil offered, a determined look plastered on his face, "Do we have a deal?"

Forcystus paused for a few seconds, and then he looked up at Gil with an arrogant smirk. "You aren't usually this bold when it comes to missions being assigned. What makes you think you have to right to bargain with me?" the green-haired half-elf sneered.

"Because you're dealing with my son, and he means more to me than anybody else in the world, even you," Gil retorted defiantly, jabbing a finger at Forcystus, "I've served Cruxis for ten years, and everyone knows that when I give people my word in carrying out a mission, my word is good as gold. But that's only because I've kept my son relatively away from the spotlight, meaning he has no idea about most of the stuff I do. But this is the first time ever that you've put me in a situation where I have to deal with people close to me, and that alone means things must be done differently."

Forcystus looked on, emotionless. "It's like a certain chapter in my wife's novel, where the female protagonist was being bombarded by offers from young males around her to betray her family and go enjoy paradise with them," Gil explained. "She won't take the offers in fear of losing the love and respect of her children. Yet, before her kids, she tells them what the ethical course of action is, and is set on educating them a certain way, even if what she says to them directly contradicts the way her suitors treat her."

Gil's face now became downright intimidating, as he openly threatened Forcystus, "Just like this protagonist, I value my son over anyone and anything else. I usually believe that trust is important in our missions, but I have no faith in anyone here to handle Lloyd. If you let any other Cruxis member involved in the negotiations, and anyone of them hurt Lloyd, I swear I'll hunt you down and kill you on the spot. You let me handle it, and I guarantee that he'll submit to Cruxis immediately and will not be a threat to us at all. So I ask you again, do we have a deal or not?"

* * *

"Hima is on top of a mountain, so there's bound to be a lot of wind. Maybe you could try out a wind spell there," Colette suggested to Genis as they packed into Lloyd's MINI Cooper. They were finished their visit with Luin and were about to be on their way to their last destination, the mountain town of Hima, before heading for home.

"I think I should be able to control the mana better now, since last time I cast a spell, I ended up becoming light-headed," Genis replied, referring to the incident at Luin, "Speaking of which, why's Lloyd taking so long?"

Just a few metres away from the MINI Cooper, Lloyd was on his cell phone. "Yes, we are heading to Hima, and we expect to be there by tomorrow. We're staying there for maybe a day or two. Don't worry, Dad, we'll be home by next week."

"That's fine, I'm just making sure of you," Gil said from the other line. Lloyd chuckled at his father's protectiveness. After bidding Gil farewell, he hopped back into the MINI Cooper and took off for Hima.

Back in Iselia, Gil also placed his phone down, smiling and satisfied. He then immediately scoured the internet for two plane tickets for Hima, all the while dialling for Dell. "Dell, I have a new mission for you. I want you and Chatman to fly to Hima in the next day or so and meet up with my son's travelling group," he informed his partner.

"Your son? I assume this must be a very important mission then, given the fact that your son is involved," Dell pointed out.

"Oh definitely, this is a very important mission, more than you can ever imagine," Gil replied, "Drop by Forcystus' office tomorrow, I'll have your tickets ready and we'll get a briefing by him. This is one mission that we can't botch, so make sure you get every detail straight." With that, Gil hung up, realizing he just entered yet another challenging period in his life.

* * *

Just so we're clear on this, for those who have watched The Departed, they may recall Billy Costigan getting into an affair with Dr. Madden. I just want everyone to know that this WILL NOT HAPPEN HERE! 2 reasons why:

1.) Gil's 42 years old, Lynn's 72 years old. Enough said.  
2.) Both sides are remaining true to their late spouses: Gil to Anna, and Lynn to her husband (who I will reveal in later chapters).

Your reviews are greatly appreciated, thank you and take care.


	15. The Betrayal

**Fenrir of the Shadows **and** I.K.A. Valian **provided the reviews once again. As you can see, we're starting to reach the climax of the story, so the action is definitely going to pick up. I will be adding another set of new twists in the following chapters, so fasten your seatbelts because it'll be a wild ride.

As well, I've decided to try another new writing technique called "Story within a story". In past chapters, I've made several references to Anna's novel, and I plan to continue using the novel in the next chapters. This technique allows me to compare and contrast and set parallels between the two stories, and to an extent allow you to anticipate certain events. Tell me how well you think I did with this.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

"I've already prepared the mechanism that will attach the Exsphere into the skin, so all you have to do is approach the girl and stick it in," Forcystus instructed. Gil, Dell and Chatman were in the Iselia Cruxis leader's office, getting a briefing from Forcystus on how to carry out the mission in Hima. Right now, Forcystus was describing how to work the Exsphere properly into Colette. "Just attach it on the top part of her sternum, right below the point where her clavicles meet, and you'll be fine," Forcystus concluded.

Gil nodded as Forcystus put the round sphere into a small bag. "So this little guy is what the entire disagreement between you and Kvar was about? Doesn't seem like that big a deal to me, if Rodyle already stole his ideas years ago," Dell commented.

"You see, there is the problem. Kvar had no intention of sharing this information with us, nor did he intend to use the Exspheres to carry out Cruxis' plans other than those that benefited his own group. For that, I say he's not a reliable ally and should to be eliminated," Forcystus explained. Handing the bag to Dell, he warned them one last time, "Remember that Colette may be travelling in a group, and knowing Gil's son, we will be facing a feisty guy. Keep your eyes and ears open. Now get going!"

As Dell and Chatman left the office, Forcystus turned his attention to Gil. "So while they take on Colette, I leave Lloyd in your hands. You said you will make him submit to our plans, but what guarantee do you have that this will actually happen?" the green-haired half-elf asked.

"You don't understand Lloyd the way I do," Gil replied, "I know for a fact that Lloyd does not know a lot about Cruxis, but being a teenager, he'll act on impulse more than on thought. By that fact alone, I can manipulate him into siding with us, rather than going against us. Besides, knowing how much harm can come to Colette, a girl he's known since he was six, I'm sure he'll want to get Frank to cooperate with us as soon as possible. After that, I'll just promise him to release Colette from the Exsphere."

"You do realize that you can't just yank the Exsphere out, right? By doing that, Colette will become that lifeless being I described beforehand even quicker," Forcystus pointed out, "There's more to this invention than that meets the eye, you know."

"And I realize that, but I've also done some searching on my own and found out how this can be cured, so all I have to do is to send Lloyd on a wild-goose chase for the right ingredients, and presto! He's off our case!" Gil replied.

Satisfied with Gil's answer, Forcystus dismissed him from the office. The former police officer stepped back into his car. As he drove off, he could not help but mull over his last words. To him, Lloyd was not just another teen that acted on impulse. Rather, he did see shades of his younger self in Lloyd. He saw that quick thinking, coupled with the ability to critically analyze situations and come up with solutions. Lastly, he saw a fierce dedication to what he believed in, and the stubbornness to defend to the death what he felt was right. One of these days, Lloyd, I'll teach you how to put these skills into good use, and make you into a person this society could be proud of, Gil thought.

* * *

"So this is Hima, the mountainous town that was supposedly adjacent to the point in which the two worlds were separated," Lloyd marvelled at the sight before the group. Indeed, it was all mountains, with clouds sailing past and creating a scarf to each peak. It was a breathtaking scene as Lloyd and Colette snapped up picture after picture while Genis rolled his video camera.

"According to some research articles, the so-called Chosen of the past will come here and enter the Tower of Salvation, a tall structure that supposedly was the only link between the two worlds. Of course, ever since the worlds were reunited, the structure no longer exists, so it's nothing more than a sightseeing area now," Colette explained.

Lloyd nodded, impressed by the area's historical significance. Turning to the young half-elf, he said, "Maybe you should try out your wind spells now, since we're on top of the mountains. The winds are pretty good here," Lloyd pointed out.

Looking around to make sure there was no one around, Genis made for higher ground, just to make sure his spell did not harm anyone. Colette told them to head off on their own, as she wanted to stay around and take more pictures. "And this time, you're doing the filming," Genis insisted to Lloyd, "I want you to capture this so I can take the tape back to Grandma and let her see it."

Leaving Colette alone turned out to be a bad idea, as two people originally hiding just behind some rocks now began advancing towards the blonde. They had arrived in Hima just the day before, one day after Lloyd's group arrived, and their mission was simple: to attach an Exsphere onto Colette, leave a note that included demands from Cruxis, and leave as quickly as possible. When they saw Lloyd and Genis head off in an opposite direction, they realized now was the perfect time to strike.

The two slowly made their way around the rocks and crept forward. Like lions stalking an antelope, they tried to box Colette in, leaving as little room for her to get away as possible. Unfortunately for Colette, her attention was at the front, as she tried to position herself to take a panorama picture of the entire scene. Her attention was geared towards adjusting her camera, and she did not see the stalkers closing in.

"Alright Lloyd, I can feel the mana in the wind now. I'm getting ready to cast, so roll the camera," Genis could be heard saying. Colette turned her head to the direction of the two boys, trying to get a look at the spell. That was when the two assailants attacked, pouncing on her and carrying her away.

Colette screamed as she tried to struggle against the two larger men. Her flailing would prove to be fruitless, as the two had a tight grip on her, putting her in a helpless situation. "Lloyd, help!" Colette shouted as the two men carried her away.

"Colette? What's happening? Where are you?" Lloyd called from higher up. Dashing off, he jumped down from their area back onto the observation post, only to see two men carrying Colette off. "Oh no," he muttered, turning back to Genis, he asked the half-elf to abandon the spell and come help Colette.

"Wait, I have an idea. Point me in the direction they're running towards," Genis replied, still holding one hand in the air. Lloyd could see blades of air around Genis' arm, and realized what Genis was about to do. Scouting the area one last time, Lloyd could see Colette being carried off to the direction of the parking lot. He pointed it out for Genis, and dove for cover as Genis released his spell. The wind blades zipped across the forests, whistling across the tree tops. It nailed the assailants right in the back, causing them to tumble and lose their grip on Colette.

"Run away, Colette, get yourself somewhere safe and we'll come for you," Lloyd yelled. Turning his head up, he could see Genis becoming wobbly, and soon collapsed onto the ground. "Genis! Oh no, of all the times you have to faint, why now?" Instead of heading towards Colette, Lloyd needed to return to the top and attend to Genis, who was not in the best of shape after casting.

Meanwhile, Colette was in no position to run either. The spell knocked the two assailants off their feet, dropping Colette from quite a height. The blonde landed hard on the ground, still in great pain. Struggling to her feet, she tried to get to safety, but her body would only allow her to travel at a hobbled pace. This would prove to be costly, as her two captors managed to get to their feet also, and tracked her down with relative ease. Grabbing her again, they tried to subdue her. "Lloyd, help!" Colette shouted again.

"Shut her up," the taller assailant ordered. The shorter captor then chopped Colette across the back of the head, rendering the girl unconscious. "Open up her shirt a bit. Make sure there's enough room for us to put the Exsphere in."

As the two continued working on Colette, Lloyd was struggling to get Genis off the mountain. The young half-elf was in an even worse shape than in Luin, when he cast the water spell. Lloyd guessed that this wind spell must be either more powerful than the water spell, or required more mana, since it covered a larger area when Genis shot it down the mountain at the assailants. "Come on Genis, we have to make it down. We nhave to get to Colette," Lloyd grunted, struggling to keep Genis on his feet.

But the young half-elf could barely walk, and was near the point of collapse. In fact, Genis was so exhausted, that he could barely speak. Lloyd realized that he could not leave Genis alone in this weak state while Lloyd went after Colette. Deciding to take a risk, he lifted Genis onto his back and gave him a piggy-back ride. "I'll take you down the mountain, and then we'll look for Colette," Lloyd suggested.

Genis could barely nod as Lloyd began carrying him down the mountain. The progress was slow, as Lloyd took short quick steps in order to remain in balance and not drop his friend. Don't worry Colette, we're coming, Lloyd thought as he advanced.

"That's right, put it on, Chatman, nice and easy," the two captors worked on the unconscious Colette, opening her shirt and lowering the Exsphere onto her skin.

"Quit muttering like that, Dell, you're making me nervous," Chatman snapped as he lowered the base of the crest onto her skin, "Forcystus said that it should attach pretty tightly onto her, so let's make sure we do this right."

And, as soon as Chatman put the crest in place, it was as if the Exsphere had come to life. The sphere blinked a red light, and with a shrill "shwoop", it attached itself onto Colette, burying itself halfway into her skin. The top layer was still visible, but the crest had penetrated into her. "There, our job is done. Leave the note in her coat pocket and let's get out of here," Chatman suggested.

While Chatman buttoned Colette's shirt back up, Dell pulled out an envelope and gently tucked it into Colette's pocket. Looking around to make sure no one was watching, the two half-elves stepped away from the woods and hurried into the parking lot. This turned out to be a good move, as the second they drove off in their vehicle, Lloyd and Genis made it down the mountain. "Call up Gil, update him on our progress," Dell instructed to Chatman from the driver seat.

Chatman dialled Gil's home number. After waiting for a while, Gil finally picked up. "Gil, we finally put the Exsphere on Colette. We also put the envelope in her pocket, so the mission is complete."

"And Colette is still alive, I assume?" Gil asked from the other line.

"She's alive, just unconscious right now. Your son should find him in a few minutes," Chatman replied, "Call up Forcystus. Tell him we can move on to the second part of our mission."

Indeed, Lloyd had reached the unconscious Colette, all the while still attending to the weakened Genis. "Great, I have two people in bad condition, and I still have no idea who just attacked us," Lloyd muttered to himself. Turning to the blonde, he gently shook her, "Colette, wake up. If you can hear me, wake up."

Colette seemed to stir, letting Lloyd breath a huge sigh of relief. "Colette, I'm glad you're okay. I was worried what they may have done to you," Lloyd stated, trying to help Colette sit up. As he did that, an envelope fell out of Colette's pocket. Curious, the spiky-haired teen picked it up and opened it, reading the contents while Colette shook her head to gain full consciousness.

"Lloyd, what happened? Is everything alright?" Colette murmured as she sat up, rubbing her eyes. It was clear that she was still dazed from the incident. But when she looked up, the only thing she saw was a horrified expression plastered onto Lloyd's face.

"Colette, I think we have to get you to a doctor right now," Lloyd whispered, trembling slightly in fear, "I think whoever those assailants were, they implanted something into your body that could be harmful to your life." He lifted the letter to Colette's face, his hands still shaking in fear.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the deserts of Triet, Frank and company entered the Triet ruins once again. This time, their objective was clear: to gain a piece of mana of the fire elemental from the fiery summon spirit Efreet. The group made their way slowly through the temple, with Frank and Raine leading the way. "You can see a lot of the areas that we already mapped out from last time," Frank explained, "It makes our journey through the temple easier, I guess."

"Let's just hope that we won't be invaded like we did the last two times. Both times we were in a near life-and-death situation," Mark pointed out.

The two professors walked on, observing and admiring the ancient writing on the walls while Sheena and Raine followed intently. Again, Raine took the chance to pry some information out of Sheena. "I do find it surprising that both times we went to an area with a summon spirit that we ended up being attacked. Is it really that dangerous to be a summoner?" she asked Sheena.

Again, Sheena tried to avoid the question. "Well, it's not like summoning is dangerous. It's just, you know, things happen," she answered, shrugging.

Raine cocked an eyebrow, realizing that she was really chipping away at Sheena's armour. "I understand that summoning itself can be dangerous, since you're dealing with a huge amount of mana, but if the danger comes from outsiders busting in and holding us hostage all the time, then I really get suspicious. Don't you agree?" Raine replied, trying to make eye contact with Sheena.

But before Sheena could respond, the two professors reached their destination of the summon spirit pedestal, the same one was nearly knocked over when Colette tripped and fell into Lloyd. "Sheena, do your thing," Frank requested, making way for the Mizuho native to step up.

Sheena made her way up to the pedestal, brushing by Raine in a slightly arrogant manner. Raine frowned as Sheena did her procedure before every pedestal, and before long, the fire demon known as Efreet materialized before them. "Who is the summoner that calls me?" Efreet growled in a low-pitched voice.

"I am Sheena. I am from Mizuho, the birthplace of the summoner of reunification. We come in peace. We only wish to study the area, not to damage it," she explained, perspiration forming on her head. It was either she was getting nervous with dealing with the volcanic Efreet, or the fire elemental was really heating things up in the chamber.

The summon spirit continued to glare at Sheena, who was really beginning to get uncomfortable. "We were hoping you can help us understand the area and history of the summon spirits. We assure you that we will be using your knowledge for educational purposes," Sheena requested nervously.

"And what makes you think you are worthy of my assistance?" Efreet demanded. It was obviously much more difficult to deal with him than with Sylph or Undine.

"Uh, well…" Sheena stuttered, definitely at a loss for words. Both times, Undine and Sylph gave her their mana pieces because she saved everyone from a hijacking, and proving herself worthy to the summon spirits.

Before Sheena could speak, Raine stepped forward and did the talking. "Because the state of the summon spirits is in great danger. Twice we have visited other areas with summon spirits, and twice a hijacking occurred during our stay there. It's very likely that there is not just one, but multiple factions vying for the spirits' mana to do something drastic to the state of the world. If you allow us to better understand not just your role, but the roles of every spirit in the state of the world's mana, we could very well prevent a large-scale disaster from happening."

"I see, so the world is indeed at stake," Efreet nodded, "Since the worlds have been reunited, many people came to summon, and none of them have ever been successful. My fellow spirits and I were intent on protecting the state and nature of the world, and therefore we would usually be reluctant to give away our mana."

"But it was because we defended the summon spirits from danger that Undine and Sylph gave us their pieces. So is it possible that you allow us to have a piece of yours in exchange for us to defend you from danger?" Raine bargained while Sheena gaped at her, completely shocked at the tactic used by the half-elf.

"I see, so what danger are we possibly in?" Efreet asked, still a bit suspicious.

"That, you'll have to ask our summoner," Raine replied, looking at Sheena and putting her in the spotlight. If Sheena wanted the mana, she would have to reveal at least some of what she knew. Raine listened closely as Sheena stepped up again to speak.

Sheena took a deep breath. "We have gotten information that there is a group in Tethe'alla that was targeting areas with large sources of mana, meaning that the summon spirits are likely at stake. And it just so happens that I am from Mizuho, the region with the most summoners, and I have researched summoning for all my life. I believe my actions can help defend your mana from being taken and used negatively."

Efreet studied Sheena with interest as she continued, "I've also been told that this is a matter of national security, so whatever these guys are planning, it could very well destroy the entire world. We need you, please," she pleaded with the summon spirit.

Raine glanced back at the two professors. Frank was shocked at Sheena's words, but Mark seemed to be taking it in a calmer manner. Raine figured that Sheena might have told Mark about this sometime in the past, or more likely that Mark was involved in this as well. Turning back to face the pedestal, she was just in time for Efreet to announce his decision. "Normally I will not give my mana away this easily, since there is always the chance that it will be misused. However, this seems to be an emergency situation, and I do sense that Undine and Sylph did so out of urgency as well. Under this circumstance, I will make an exception, and allow you to take my mana," Efreet decided.

And just like in Thoda Geyser, a strange aura surrounded the chamber, this time it was a bright orange rather than a cool blue. Another strange piece landed before Sheena, shining and flashing at the group. "Just as you have done with Undine and Sylph, use it in whatever way you wish. But if the world is in danger, do not hesitate in summoning the pieces, and you will find out powers combining to prevent any disaster," Efreet stated. With that, he slowly disappeared from the pedestal, leaving the chamber dark again.

The group slowly trudged out of the ruins, still thinking about what was said. Just as they reached the outside, feeling the warmth of the sunlight again, Raine decided to approach Sheena once and for all. "All that stuff you said back there, about the world being in danger and such, was that all true? Is that why you were so intent in getting the mana from each summon spirit?" Raine demanded.

But before Sheena could explain, Frank received a phone call. "What? What happened to Colette? Is she alright?" he asked frantically. The group looked on nervously as Frank continued the conversation. After a few minutes, he hung up and informed the group of the events. "That was Gil. My daughter was involved in abduction, and when they found her, she had something implanted into her body and a note from a group called Cruxis stuffed into her pocket. It seems like they're using her for an experiment that may end with her death and in demanding my cooperation."

"Looks like we may be too late, Cruxis may have taken action after all, and it is more drastic than we envisioned," an unfamiliar voice announced. The research team turned around to see a group of people appearing from behind the ruins. They closed in on the team, surrounding them in a semi-circle.

"Wait a minute, I recognize some of these guys," Raine whispered to Frank, "Some of them were at the hostage situation in Luin, and the leader of the group I recalled seeing at the first hijacking back in your lab a few months ago."

"I assume that our summoner has accomplished the task at Triet, and has taken the piece from Efreet, correct?" the leader asked, taking a step forward.

"Yes, in total we have three pieces," Sheena replied, mimicking the leader's action. Behind her, Raine eyed her suspiciously while Frank was in complete shock.

"Sheena, how could you be working behind our backs and giving our research information to this gang the entire time? How long have you been working with these guys?" Frank sputtered.

"We've approached Sheena about six months ago to aide us in our operations, and in case you're wondering, she has not given away any information to us that you didn't already know. So technically speaking, we were not scooping, and she never betrayed you guys," the leader replied arrogantly.

Frank turned to his colleague. "Mark, did you know anything about this? Surely you have some observation on her activities. I mean, you've been her research supervisor for a year now," Frank pleaded.

Mark did not dare to return Frank's gaze. "I did know about this when I came across a conversation between Sheena and this group a couple of months ago. Sheena had sworn me to secrecy, so I was never allowed to tell. But in reality, during the trip to Luin and to the Balacruf Mausoleum, I knew this group was going to be there," he admitted.

Frank continued to be in a state of shock while Raine just rolled her eyes. "So what are you going to do with us then? I mean, you got what you want, and there isn't much more you could do to intimidate us, after all those hijackings," Raine retorted defiantly.

"Actually, I suggest you civilians stay out of our way, or you'll just get into more danger," the leader retorted. Turning to his men, he signalled for them to leave.

Just then, Sheena stopped him. "I think we owe them at least a quick explanation, just to clear up their confusion. Besides, Frank is definitely worried about Colette, so we need to at least assure him that she'll be alright," she suggested. Turning to Raine and the two professors, she requested that they follow. "All your confusion will be cleared up in the next few minutes," she promised, "Shall we?"

* * *

"Yes, we've visited the doctor and it's been diagnosed that she does have an implant. The doctor said that he cannot detect anything that may harm Colette's body for the time being, so the best bet is to leave it in there for now and get it removed once a better diagnosis is done," Lloyd said into his cell phone as he cruised down the highway. After the harrowing experience on the mountain, Lloyd took Colette to a doctor to find out what the implant was, only to find out that there was no good solution for the blonde.

"I assume you're on your way back to Iselia then?" Frank asked, "Because Gil told me about some disturbing information with regards to that sphere, and how I have to cooperate with this group called Cruxis if I want to see Colette alive again."

"We're on our way home right now, and we'll reach Iselia later tonight," Lloyd replied, "Have no worries, we'll take good care of Colette." With that, he hung up.

"Lloyd, it's okay, I really don't feel anything different," Colette assured her friend as they continued to speed down the road, "We'll just get back to Iselia and see if we can get that removed. But until then, I'll be fine."

"Colette, you just got some mysterious thing jammed into your sternum, and you're telling me everything is fine? Aren't you worried about this at all? I think you're taking way too relaxed of an approach towards this," Lloyd scolded. Turning to the back, he faced Genis, who had somewhat recovered from casting the spell. "You alright back there?" Lloyd asked the half-elf.

Genis merely nodded, tired from all the activities that day. Lloyd returned to driving, putting his focus solely on the road before him. But something said by Frank could not be removed from his mind: the fact that it was Gil who informed Frank of the abduction. How did his father know about this even before they did, and how did he know that the sphere would cause a person bodily harm? Somehow, Lloyd thought, my dad must have something to do with this. But what? What did he have to hide?

By the time he returned to Iselia, a light drizzle had begun to come down. He dropped Genis off at his home, and after making sure Colette was alright, dropped her off as well. "If you feel anything weird, don't hesitate in telling your mom," Lloyd reminded her, "Besides, being a nurse, she should be able to help you out, to an extent."

Much to his surprise, there was a black SUV parked outside the Irving residence, and a strange green-haired character stepped out of his house. Seeing the strange sight, Lloyd stopped his car on the driveway and stepped out, not even bothering to move his vehicle into the garage. "I trust you can handle the rest of the situation then," the stranger suggested to Gil, "I'd best be going now. Have a good night, Gil, Lloyd," he nodded his head as he swiftly moved past the spiky-haired teen.

Lloyd looked at the man with a confused gaze as he entered the SUV. The rain had begun to come down harder, and thunder could be heard in the distance. "I know you want answers, and I'm willing to give them to you. But why don't you come inside first, and avoid being pelted by the rain?" Gil suggested, grabbing some of Lloyd's luggage from the MINI Cooper.

Lloyd reluctantly followed, still suspicious. "For starters, that is Forcystus. He is someone that I started working with four years ago, and am still working with today. He is involved in a big project and required my assistance. In case you're wondering, I have told him a bit about you, so he does recognize you and know you by name." Gil explained, taking a seat at the dining room table.

"That's not the main question I have to ask you," Lloyd replied, taking a seat across from Gil, "Today, Dr. Brunel was informed of the implant in Colette, and that it could cause her bodily harm if he did not cooperate with a group supposedly known as Cruxis. Oddly enough, the person that did the informing was you," Lloyd leaned closer, staring at his father with piercing brown eyes, "How did you know of the sphere? What did you have to do with this project? And will Colette make it out alive?" he demanded.

"Looks like you've figure this out all on your own," Gil replied, impressed by his son's detective skills. Standing up, he slowly moved towards the kitchen window, all the while with Lloyd's eyes trained on him, "The sphere was the main project that Forcystus talked about with me just before you arrived. It's known as an Exsphere, and it has the ability to control the mana inside one's body, causing it to lose control gradually until the mana becomes separated from the person's brain. I assisted in the process of locating the subject and had my assistant put it into Colette. Then when they finished, all I did was call up Frank and inform him of the news."

Lloyd shot up from his seat. "So you're behind this? How could you?" he berated Gil, "Colette's my friend, and if anything happens to her, I swear I'll…"

"Colette will be fine, since the Exsphere is not likely to take its full effect until a week or two after. If you make the antidote quickly, she'll still make it out unscathed," Gil assured Lloyd, "In fact, I have some information compiled for the cure, and I'll be more than happy to point you to the right source."

Lloyd remained unimpressed. "Do you think giving me a cure is good enough? After the Hima incidents, I'm starting to regain my suspicions about you, and that there were other motives for your entire trip to Palmacosta and Asgard. Likewise, you told me that there were half-elf extremists in Asgard. Knowing that anybody with elfish blood can control mana, it won't shock me if this group had anything to do with the sphere. So if that's the case, then where does that put you in this group?" he asked.

Gil smirked, positioning himself right next to the window. "You got everything perfectly. Yes, Forcystus is part of Cruxis. He's the leader of Cruxis in Iselia, to be exact. And with me being asked to help with this project, it can only mean one thing," he turned his head around to face Lloyd, "I am a part of Cruxis."

A bolt of lightning flared down nearby, illuminating Gil's emotionless face of Gil and Lloyd's shocked expression. "That's right. I've been part of Cruxis for the last ten years. I worked my way up their hierarchy, with all sorts of odds against me, due to the fact that I was one of very few humans in a predominantly half-elf organization. But with different strategies, I went all the way and am now one of Forcystus' lieutenants."

"So you mean everything you've told me in the last ten years was a lie? Why? Why did you give away your life as a cop just to become one of those that you used to be against?" Lloyd sputtered as another bolt of lightning flashed outside the window.

"Technically, everything I told you in the last ten years were true, minus the details with regards to Cruxis," Gil replied, "As for why, all I can say is refer back to your mother's novel. There is this old man in the novel that was against the nobleman and his hunting party, and every day he would picket outside the estate complaining of animal cruelty and demanding that the hunt be stopped. But because his ideas were so out of touch with everyday folk, and his plan to reform society was so flawed, that his ideas were never accepted. He ended up becoming a hermit, forever separated from the world, and preaching to only his followers. You could say I'm in the same situation. I can sit at the police headquarters and rant about bringing justice to the world, or actually go into the world and make a difference," Gil concluded, moving back to the table.

"For what you've done, you don't deserve to put Mom's name in that sentence. You're not worthy of mentioning a good person like her," Lloyd spat angrily, "I'm going to find a cure for Colette, and once she's healed, I'm taking you out."

"Good. If you want to start looking for a cure, then you might want to contact this guy named Arthur. He might have some info you want," Gil suggested.

Lloyd snatched the paper slip from his father defiantly before storming off. Gil sighed, "If only you knew the truth, Lloyd," he murmured before leaving the dining room. Outside, the rain began to subside.

* * *

In case you're wondering, Arthur is the captain of the Major Crimes Unit. But who is Arthur really? Why does he seem to know so much about magitechnology techniques? And what's his true identity with regards to TOS? You'll find out the answers to all these questions in the next chapter. Stay tuned!


	16. Help from the Ancient Past

I got 4 reviews last chapter, from **Dawnstarshine, I.K.A. Valian, Fenrir of the Shadows, **and **Gijinka Renamon.** To avoid confusion, let me address you guys separately:

**Dawn** - Welcome back, and I do sincerely apologize for not taking your "problems" seriously. I made my "Gil Irving" remarks completely in jest, and I apologize if that offended you. I dedicate this chapter to you, and hope you can overcome the issues you told me about, and can start joining us again on a regular basis. Best of luck.

**I.K.A.** - All your questions with regards to links to the past will begin to answer themselves starting with this chapter. But to answer your question, (almost) nobody from the original game is alive today. That includes the original Genis and Raine, who are both dead. What do I mean by "almost"? Read and find out!

**Fenrir** - Most of my characters do have their traits mostly based on the originals in the game, but with a few twists here and there. I try to keep them in character while adding some of my own twists. I'm glad you liked it!

**Gijinka Renamon **- Yes, in case you're wondering, there are many, many twists in this story, and some things are not what they seem. Keep reading if you want to know more!

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

The next morning, Lloyd got up and immediately grabbed the paper that Gil gave him the night before. Quickly slipping on his clothes, he marched downstairs and grabbed some fruit before stepping out to his car. He did not even bother to speak to Gil, who sat quietly at the dining room table, calmly reading the newspaper.

Gil had figured that Lloyd still had to blow off some steam after the events of the previous night, and therefore he did not press the issue. "He's going to have to figure this out on his own, since my hands will be full the next few days," Gil muttered to himself, "I've done all that I can to help him, so I can only hope that he'll come through and save Colette, and even Lynn, in time."

The second Lloyd stepped into his car, he pulled out his cell phone and gave the Brunels a call. After ensuring that Colette was still relatively stable and healthy, he turned his attention to the Sages. Getting Raine to come along for the research was crucial, as he felt that she was the only person that could be trusted right now. "Besides, I don't really know who this Arthur person is, and whether he is friend or foe. Since I don't know what we may be up against, it's best that you come with me, Raine," Lloyd said into his phone.

Raine, seeing the precarious situation, decided to tag along, and Lloyd turned his car around to the Sage residence to pick up Raine. The skies were overcast with grey clouds, mirroring the mood Lloyd was in. "We should head to the university first, since we might be able to get some information on our own. Seeing that your dad might be on for the other team, I want to save Arthur as a last-minute resource," she suggested.

Lloyd simply nodded as he drove towards the university. Stopping at the Brunel lab first, they scoured through the books and articles for any information. Lloyd tore through the resources in the lab while Raine was on the computer in her office, looking at sources from other universities or research centres. While they scoured for sources, Raine decided to inform Lloyd of yet another invasion of an ancient ruin in their latest visit to Triet, and how Sheena was a part of the rival group all along. "She told me that Cruxis was indeed threatening the state of the world, and that she was recruited by this new group that was intent on stopping Cruxis at all costs."

"But Sheena's from Mizuho though, so doesn't that mean that Cruxis has allies in Tethe'alla as well?" Lloyd asked, flipping through a research journal.

"That could very well be true, considering the fact that Cruxis was in Thoda and Balacruf Mausoleum, and both times they were linked to a big city, Palmacosta and Asgard, respectively," Raine replied, "It could very well be that Cruxis was a bigger organization than we originally thought, and their goals may be very extreme."

"But why would extremism exist now? I mean, I understand that in the past, half-elves were discriminated against, and were generally treated very poorly. But to live in a world like ours and see this happening, I find it very shocking. What's more shocking is that my dad became involved in this group. Why would he ally himself with a group like that? And what does he gain from it if he's not a half-elf?" Lloyd asked.

"There will always be extremism, wherever you go," Raine explained, "When the first laws against half-elves were repealed, a lot of humans from the upper class were not happy, since they can no longer use them to justify human superiority. But at the same time, if the laws were not repealed, any effort to stem racism and discrimination would be for naught. So it's really a delicate balancing act as to what needs to be done, and even today you can see the legacy of the reunification group led by Lloyd Irving, or should I say your namesake, is somewhat mixed."

"How could this legacy be mixed when they reunited the worlds and stopped the racist laws against half-elves? Shouldn't they be hailed as heroes?" Lloyd asked.

Raine chuckled. "They reunited the world, yes, but they did not do everything to stem racism. That comes from years of re-education of the public and repealing of laws. In fact, the law library here at the university has many old court cases going back to the days of repealing racist laws and handing out compensation for any damages directly done to half-elves during that time."

Raine stepped out of her office with a folder full of papers. "As for the group themselves, all I can say is that even within, there was disagreement over what needed to be done to fix this problem. Some preferred a mass educational campaign, some preferred using the legal process, and some even went with having a joint-agreement between the two nations. All I can say is they all had varying degrees of success, and whether or not each person could be considered a hero is very subjective."

"So how does my dad fit into all this? It still seems very suspicious to have him join a half-elf extremist group bent on destroying the current establishment of the world," Lloyd pointed out as he put some journals back on the shelf.

"I don't have an answer for you there, because I suspect there's more to it than what you've mentioned that he had joined because he actually felt Cruxis would let him make a bigger difference in the world than working as a police officer. I think only he can reveal that, whenever he chooses to reveal that," Raine concluded, "Now come on, we must get moving. There's more stuff to search for at the library."

As they packed up and headed downstairs, Lloyd could not help but ask, "By the way, should we tell anybody about this? I mean, we're trying to find a cure for Colette, so I assume we can reveal some stuff to them."

Raine shook her head. "I've know Frank for many years, and have been working as his research assistant for the last year, and I can tell you that he's got typical researcher mentality: indecisive and wishy-washy the second he steps out of the lab. He's already being pressured by Cruxis to cooperate, so if we tell him more it'll just put more stress on him. Likewise, Grandma and Genis should be kept relatively in the dark as well, since their 'honesty' tends to reveal too much about what we're doing. Right now we have to fly under the radar, and that means avoiding Cruxis at all costs."

Lloyd winced. "You know, playing that type of game really isn't my style," Lloyd said uncomfortably, "Why can't we just place more faith and trust in each other?"

"Don't think I like it any more than you do, but in a situation like this, there's not much more to do than keeping it secretive. Everybody's in danger right now, and if Cruxis gets their way, we won't have a world to live in soon," Raine retorted.

* * *

"No, I can't come to meet you right now. I'm in a meeting, so why don't you try the chief?" a familiar voice in the Special Investigations Unit said. That got the attention of a certain expert in communications, who looked up to see the captain of the major crimes unit heading towards Captain Burton's office. Discretely, she followed the captain and positioned herself just outside Burton's room, standing near the doorway as the two captains began their meeting.

"Well, Arthur, I'm glad you can make it," Captain Burton greeted, "There has been some interesting development in our unit that we must be going over."

"Likewise, there has been some interesting development between the mole and myself as well, so I also have a lot to say," Arthur replied. Outside the office, the young female officer listened with intent.

When Burton signalled for his Major Crimes counterpart to speak first, Arthur updated Gil's progress. "The mole has updated me with information with regards to the next plans of Cruxis, and this does involve the use of Exspheres, which can be harmful to a person in the sense that it disfigures the mana within one's body. Cruxis has already taken one person hostage, the daughter of an archaeology researcher…"

The female officer listened in as the two captains exchanged information, but before they could come to a conclusion as the next course of action, the officer's cell phone rang, prompting to retreat back to her desk, in fear that the two captains might have heard her. Flipping her phone open, she realized it was Forcystus who called her. "I want an update from you," he demanded.

"Right now it seems like the two captains are still trying to deliberate on the next course of action, and I doubt they've suspected me yet. But I found out that the chief of police is in it as well, as any information that the captains do not get directly goes through the chief. It is likely that Chief Marshall is the indirect informant, as the police mole will usually talk with and have his messages forwarded to the captains through the chief, just to avoid suspicion within your group," the officer described.

Forcystus thought for a while, and then he asked, "Any news on their next move? If the mole is going through the chief instead of directly with the captain, then it could very well be that the mole was in Iselia the entire time. That means I wouldn't get anything on the mole when I sent my team to the other cities."

"I was unable to get information on their next move, as they're still deliberating right now," the officer replied apologetically.

Again, silence on the other line, before Forcystus finally decided, "If that's the case, then keep an eye out for the police chief whenever possible. It could very well be that the mole would try to contact the chief in the near future."

After confirming her mission, she ended the call and put her phone away, rubbing her temples. Obviously this would be the most difficult task yet, as she had only been in the force for two years, and was not even familiar with where the chief's office was located. Just at this time, the two captains exited the office. "I'll be going home then," Arthur could be heard saying, "I've been told I'm supposed to be meeting with another person in the next few days at my house, so I had best be going. I trust you can handle the rest of the situation?" he asked Captain Burton.

When Burton did not object, Arthur moved off and left the unit. The female officer stared up as the captain stepped past her desk, only to get a strange expression in return. Somehow, she felt that Captain Burton's Major Crimes counterpart was not completely at ease, and that had the officer extremely worried.

* * *

After scouring the library for information, Lloyd and Raine could not come up with anything of use to cure Colette. With only bits and pieces, they decided to pay Colette a visit and check on her condition. "Remember, we cannot reveal too much to Frank, or else we're all in trouble," Raine reminded Lloyd as she rang the doorbell.

There to greet them was Frank, and he looked like he hadn't had any sleep in the last few days. His hair was messy, his shirt was not tucked in, and there were dark bags under his eyes, making his face look similar to a raccoon's. As they slowly shuffled in, Lloyd asked, "How's Colette doing? Is she any better?"

"She hasn't shown any symptoms yet, so we're guessing she's still okay, but according to that note you found, it says that symptoms are gradual, so the only thing we can do is monitor her condition day-by-day," Frank explained, sounding exhausted.

While Raine stayed down to speak with Frank, Lloyd went upstairs to check on Colette. Indeed, she was lying in bed, with her mother tending to her. "Hi Mrs. Brunel, I'm just dropping by the check on Colette," Lloyd informed Phoebe.

"Thank you for taking care of her back in Hima, and getting her back home safely," Phoebe stated, "I really don't know what I'll do if she gets hurt."

"Mom, really, it's okay, I'm fine. I don't feel any different," Colette assured her mother, "Is it alright if I speak to Lloyd?"

"Alright, but not for too long, since we need to keep you relatively stable until we can find out what's going on with the implant," her mother warned, "I want to get to work soon, and I'll see if the doctors have analyzed the skin sample around the implant." With that, she hurried out of the room, leaving Lloyd and Colette by themselves.

"So I guess that's the advantage of having a family member working in a hospital, right? Your mother, being a nurse, has connections with some of the more experienced doctors, and can test out what that implant really is?" Lloyd teased the blonde.

Colette smiled and nodded. "But really, thank you so much for everything you've done, you can't believe how much that means to me. I admit, back in Hima, I was really scared. I genuinely thought I was going to die," Colette confessed.

"Don't worry, because you're not going to die. We'll find a cure for you, and we'll make sure nothing like this will ever happen again. I promise you, Colette, I won't let anything happen to you," Lloyd guaranteed.

For a few seconds, the two teens smiled at each other, truly feeling that something special was happening inside that room. Both teens enjoyed that moment for as long as they could until Colette spoke up. "You said earlier that you and Raine were planning to see if you can find any clues as to what this is. So did you get any luck?" she asked.

Lloyd winced. He promised Raine he would not reveal anything big, but he also did not want to lie to his friend. Choosing his words carefully, he gave her a short but satisfying answer. "All I can say is that this thing is from the ancient past, so there isn't much info on it, but we do have some clues to sort through first, so we'll have to get back to you later on," Lloyd leaned closer, gently clutching Colette's hand and getting direct eye contact from his long-time friend, "Colette, I want you to promise me that you'll take good care of yourself in the meantime and not do anything dangerous. Knowing Cruxis as a group of extremists, I won't be too surprised if they try something even more drastic. Promise me you'll stay safe, okay?"

Colette smiled, causing Lloyd's serious expression to melt. Both sides realized that, despite knowing each other for over ten years, they never considered taking their relationship past the step of good friends. Perhaps there was something more between them? Just as they pondered this question and continued to stare into each other eyes, Phoebe interrupted their moment. "Lloyd, I think Raine is calling for you," she called from the stairway, "She wants to get moving soon."

That snapped the two out of the moment, causing some awkward chuckles from both sides. Lloyd reminded Colette once more to be careful, and promptly left the room. "Frank has decided to go with Cruxis' plans and start revealing some of his discoveries," Raine updated Lloyd as they prepared to step out, "He believes that it's the best chance for him to save Colette, especially when our search for a cure is still in limbo."

Lloyd glanced at the professor nervously. "Are you sure you want to take that course of action? I mean, knowing that Cruxis is made of extremists, you might be in greater danger by cooperating, and that may put Colette in greater harm," he pointed out.

"Right now, I need to do what's best for Colette and Phoebe, and if cooperating with Cruxis for the time being will mean they may stop harming my family and friends, then I'm willing to take the risk," Frank explained.

"I suggest you two listen to your friend, because he seems to be the one with the most rationality right now," a strange voice said from outside the door. The threesome turned to see a tall, green-haired man standing in front of a dark SUV, "You guys are in no place to bargain with us, so I suggest you concede and work with Cruxis, if you want to see Colette live through this, that is."

Just hearing the arrogance in Forcystus' tone made Lloyd growl. Charging out of the house, Lloyd stepped up face-to-face against the half-elf. It seemed to be a David versus Goliath match-up, as Forcystus was almost half a head taller than Lloyd. "You better not do anything weird, or I'll make sure you'll be sorry," Lloyd threatened.

"I'll be sorry? I don't think you should be in the position to make threats right now, given the fact that your own father plays on my team," Forcystus smugly retorted.

"And you know what? I'll make sure Colette gets healed, and when that's done, I'll take both you and my dad out. Just watch me," Lloyd replied confidently.

Forcystus smirked. "I don't think you know what you're messing with," he challenged Lloyd. He slowly moved to the driveway, where Lloyd's MINI Cooper was parked. Raine, Phoebe and Frank slowly stepped out of the house, trying to persuade Lloyd to stop the confrontation. But it was all for naught, as a push of a button caused a strange cannon to form around Forcystus' left arm. "Why don't you have a taste of ancient magi-technology and its effects on modern day things?" And before Lloyd could react, the strange cannon hummed and a glow began emitting from the front. Raine realized that this was mana of some sort, and she raced out to pull Lloyd away.

As the two struggled off, Forcystus released the mana charge, hurling it straight at Lloyd's MINI Cooper. A loud boom followed, throwing everyone back a few metres. By the time Lloyd and Raine got back to their feet, Forcystus had already returned to his SUV, and Lloyd's MINI Cooper was nothing more than a burning wreck. "The choice is yours: cooperate, or face more attacks," Forcystus called from the back window of the SUV, "Have a good day, professor, Miss Sage, and Lloyd."

As Forcystus drove off, he pulled out his cell phone and made a call to Gil's cell phone. "I've paid Dr. Brunel a quick visit, and it seems like they're in quite the dilemma right now. But to further stimulate his thoughts, I've decided to give the good professor some initiative to cooperate with us, and this one happened to involve your son, who was there to check up on his girlfriend," he informed Gil.

But before Gil could inquire further, Gil's home phone rang, making him put Forcystus on hold. Gil gently picked it up, and before he could even ask who was calling, he got an absolute earful. "Dad, this is Lloyd. I try to pay Colette a visit, and suddenly your friend decided to show up with his gadget cannon-thingy and blew my car to bits," Lloyd berated his father, "You happy now? Is this what you wanted? Harassing Colette and the rest of us to the point of no return?"

"Wait a minute, you said he fire-bombed your car? How?" Gil asked, surprised.

"He took out some weird cannon-like thing and sent a blast of mana straight at my car, and now it's nothing more than a wreck," Lloyd replied bitterly, "That's all I have to say, but that won't stop me from my plans. So next time you see your friend, you can tell him to stick that thing up where the 'sun don't shine,' because I won't be backing down."

Gil chuckled. "If you're going to be persistent, then you might as well visit Arthur and get the research over with. Colette doesn't have forever, you know."

Lloyd reluctantly agreed, and with that, Gil hung up and returned to his cell phone. Lifting the hold, he said, "So you had another weapon up your sleeve, huh? I recall both Kvar and Magnius using a mana staff, but to fit a cannon into your arm? That's definitely new."

"Good, I'm glad you appreciated magi-technology more than your son did. Just make sure that Dr. Brunel continues to cooperate with us, otherwise it's off to the Sage household and putting an Exsphere on one of her relatives," Forcystus concluded.

Gil only murmured in agreement before ending the call. Turning back to his home phone, he quickly dialled for Arthur and informed him of Lloyd's pending arrival. "I think it'll be a very interesting conversation that you'll be having today."

* * *

"I believe this is the right address," Lloyd confirmed as Raine shut down the engine of her Honda Civic hybrid. After that little fiasco with the MINI Cooper, Lloyd was left car-less as the tow truck hauled whatever remained of his car away. Raine, seeing the trouble Lloyd was in, decided to give Lloyd a ride, and right now, their first target was the mysterious character known as Arthur.

"We'd best be careful, since we don't know who this Arthur character is. He could be a member of Cruxis, or he may be using us for his own purposes. But either way, we have to choose our words carefully and not take any rash actions," Raine warned Lloyd as they stepped out of the car. The rain storm from the day before seemed to have returned, as a slight drizzle had begun as they moved up to the front door. Raine rang the bell as Lloyd looked on.

Before Raine could speak, Arthur answered the door. Standing before Lloyd and Raine was a tall man with aqua coloured hair and unusually large ears. Raine thought he might be an elf, but lacked the typical elfish feature of the pointy tip at each ear's end. His hands were also a shade darker than his skin on other parts of the body, a very unusual mix indeed. "You must be Lloyd, and this beside you is Raine, correct? Gil told me that you'd be coming, so might as well get things started." With that, he opened the door wider and let the two in.

Lloyd and Raine slowly inched forward, taking a good look at the surroundings. Arthur seemed to be a bit of a history buff as well, as there were many pictures or objects that could have been dated back to quite a long time. "I know you have a lot of questions for me, and I'm willing to spend some time going over them with you," Arthur stated as he invited the two into his living room, "So ask away, I'm ready."

"Well, I guess my question is: how did you know my father? Because when we were in our little conflict, he didn't hesitate in mentioning your name," Lloyd pointed out, trying not to reveal too much about Colette's condition to Arthur.

"Your father was a police officer from the Major Crimes Unit, and was one of the rising stars in the force when I was appointed captain of that unit ten years ago. I must admit that we formed quite a bond with each other, and it persisted, even when Gil is part of Cruxis today," Arthur described.

"And did you ever find out why my father decided to join Cruxis? That seems to be a drastic step, given that he turned from an upholder of the law to an ardent criminal assisting an extremist group in destroying the world. His best justification was that he felt he would make a bigger difference by leaving the police force. I find that highly suspicious, considering that would be a complete betrayal to my mother's beliefs. Has he mentioned anything like that to you?" Lloyd demanded.

Arthur sighed. Lloyd could tell that, just like the case with Gil, he had started a touchy subject, and was making the captain very uncomfortable. "I do recall Gil giving me some details in his reasons for going to Cruxis, but we have made an agreement that this matter not be disclosed, even to relatives and friends. But on the other hand, he has told me that he will reveal his true motives and actions to you in small bits in the near future, so you may just know more if you observe closely," Arthur explained.

Outside, the condition was worsening, as the skies darkened and the rain fell more rapidly. At this time, Raine decided to change the subject. "I think what we most want to know is what Mr. Irving has been telling you about the Exspheres, since that seems to be a project that could threaten lives. If there is anything that you can reveal that can allow us to prevent another disaster, then by all means please share it." Raine was comfortable in revealing the Exspheres, knowing that Arthur was, and still is, a police officer, but decided to keep Colette's name a secret so far. She and Lloyd looked on carefully as Arthur flipped open his laptop and began clicking on some files.

"If you truly know something about Gil, you'd learn not to call him Mr. Irving, as this job tends to make him feel uncomfortable being addressed to formally. Next time, just Gil will do," Arthur responded as he opened another file. Flipping the monitor around, he used the pointed to the Exspheres that Lloyd and Raine were referring to, "Exspheres are indeed from the ancient past, used by many in wars and battles to enhance their fighting abilities. But the only way they can be harvested is via a host, and that usually involves the destruction of human life," Arthur explained, as a bolt of lightning flared down.

Lloyd and Raine's expressions changed to disgust as the police captain continued, "I also know for a fact that the ones used by Cruxis are a variant of this type, as they tend to be slower in displaying their parasitic functions. I can also tell you that the victim will feel the full effects within a week or two, so whatever cure that you guys are looking for, you have to find it real soon," Arthur concluded.

Dismay turned into surprise for Lloyd and Raine, as they did not expect Arthur to know so much; not only about Exspheres, but their current situation. But Arthur eased all fears when he divulged into Gil's conversation with him. "Gil told me about his plans, and gave me details as to how this will affect Colette. He also told me that it did pain him very much that he'll have to proceed with it, but it had to be done," Arthur assured them.

"So did he say anything about a cure?" Lloyd asked frantically, "If Dad feels as sorry as he claimed, then at the very least he should reveal how Colette can be saved."

Again, Arthur rearranged the files on his laptop, and showed Lloyd a different set of files. This time, they were of academic references and research journals, prompting some interest from Raine. "Your father surely did a lot of research before approaching me with this dilemma, and he did locate places where there had been work done on this topic. Most of them are from the National Research Academy from Meltokio and the labs from University of Sybak. If you look at these articles, they may just give you what you want," Arthur suggested, scrolling the pointer over them.

Lloyd and Raine gave each document a quick skim-over, and Raine was definitely impressed by the research. "I could try and access these from the electronic databases of each research centre, but we may need to visit the centres later on if we want an elaborate version," she decided. Turning back to Arthur, she asked, "What do you think is Gil's motives in doing this? I mean, he seems to be loyal to Cruxis by obeying their orders and implanting the sphere into Colette, but at the same time revealed enough information for us to stop Cruxis once and for all. Could he be playing as a double agent?"

"Not only that, but you seem to know a lot about this yourself. I think you have your own reasons for helping us, besides investigating Cruxis as a police officer and wanting to crack the case," Lloyd chimed in, curious to know more.

"I don't think I'm enough of an authority to comment on that matter," Arthur replied, "All I can say is that what Gil showed me is the most comprehensive set of documents I've ever seen on curing that Exsphere implant in Colette. As for my other motives, there are a few. I did realize having you do some work for the police is justified, given the fact that you're taxpayers as well, and your money goes towards funding us, but I also want to get involved because I don't want history to repeat itself."

Lloyd and Raine shared a confused look as Arthur put his laptop away. The outside darkness was beginning to dim the room as well, causing a strange shadow to be cast on Arthur. "I've seen the world at its highest and its lowest, experienced it being torn into two, and put back together again. I've lived on this planet even before the evolution of humans, and I can tell you that, in my final form, I can finally take action by myself and for myself, without having to tag along as someone's sidekick."

Lloyd and Raine were perplexed. "Captain, who are you really?" Lloyd asked timidly, "Or rather, what are you?"

"The short answer is that I'm not really a human," Arthur explained amidst the sounds of thunder, "The long answer is that I'm a creature once known as Protozoa, which never stops evolving. My first form had existed since the days the planet was formed, and after many millennia, I took on a second form called Aquan, which is similar to a fish. Just before the world was split into two, I just got out of my third form Aeros, which is a bird, and into my fourth form Arshis, which is a dog. Shortly after the reunification, I evolved into Fenrilra, and only about twenty years ago did I become a human."

As he said that, another bolt of lightning crashed down, illuminating the room and highlighting the shocked expressions on Lloyd ad Raine. "Wait, you were the legendary Protozoa? I thought that was nothing more than a myth!" Raine exclaimed, going into history-mode again, "And you also said you saw the reunification of the worlds, so who was there? And what was it like?"

"I didn't just live through it. I was a part of it," Arthur replied, "I was the pet of a hero from both the Kharlan War and the Reunification. I was known by a different name, and it's one that I still keep: Noishe. Notice what I call myself today, Captain Arthur Noishe, Major Crimes Unit of the Iselia Police Department."

Lloyd and Raine were astounded at that fact. The captain of a major unit in the Iselia Police Department, and one that commanded Gil ten years ago, was actually part of an ancient group that oversaw all the changes the world went through? Just the thought of that alone raised many possible questions, especially for Raine, who could finally crack some of the mysteries surrounding her research project.

But before more questions were asked, Arthur, or Captain Noishe, suggested that the two be prepared to head off. "I suggest you start looking at your electronic sources, and if necessary, actually go to Meltokio and Sybak to further supplement your information. But whatever the case, all I can say is that I wish you the best of luck."

Lloyd and Raine thanked the captain as they grabbed their files. The rain was still continuing to pour, but the lightning had definitely died down. As the two left exited the door, Lloyd couldn't help but ask, "Captain Noishe, if what you say is true, and that you are a legendary creature that evolved throughout history, then why did you choose to be a police officer in your final form as a human?"

Captain Noishe smiled. "Well, it is part of my legacy, as my final form was to be a human that hunts evil. What better way to do that than joining the police force?"

* * *

Bombshell! You didn't see that one coming, now did you? Noishe has finally evolved into a human and is currently serving as the captain of the Major Crimes Unit, meaning he's the one responsible for sending Gil undercover and monitoring him. What do you guys think? Or are you too shocked to think at all (just kidding)? Read and review, thanks!


	17. Meltokio Bound

Reviews came from **I.K.A. Valian **and **Gijinka Renamon.** I'm glad I could surprise you with Captain Noishe, I've had that idea for a little while, and I genuinely wanted to use him in this story. And as before, most of your questions are going to slowly start answering themselves, starting with this chapter.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

There was still a steady downpour as Lloyd and Raine returned to their vehicle. Both were still shocked at the revelation that Arthur Noishe, the captain of the Major Crimes Unit in the Iselia Police Department and onetime supervisor of Gil's, was an ancient creature that actually oversaw the separation and reunification of the world.

As Raine started up the vehicle, Lloyd summarized their findings. "Captain Noishe claimed that the Cruxis group of today was trying to repeat history, and that these Exspheres are a variant of the ancient type that takes away human lives. If that may be true, and added to the fact that he had sources from Meltokio and Sybak indicating that studies on Exspheres had been done, then it is possible to find out a cure for Colette and what Cruxis is up to at the same time," he deduced.

"Not only that, but the captain may have details to give us, since he was involved in so many parts of history. Somehow, I think there's more to this than that meets the eye," Raine added, "But whatever the case, I think it's more important to look for the cure first, and worry about Cruxis' motives or the captain later. Come drop by my house, and we'll grab some lunch before continuing on."

As the Honda Civic hybrid headed back to the Sage residence, an Audi V8 drove past them on the opposite side of the road. The driver of this vehicle was none other than one of Noishe's former colleagues, Gilbert Irving. Instead of heading to the residential zone, Gil drove his car into the heart of town, going through the neighbourhoods before pulling into the parking lot of a diner. He pulled his leather jacket all the way up to his throat, and charged out into the pouring rain and into the diner.

As he stepped through the door, he surveyed the scene, hoping to find the person he was supposed to meet. After a quick scan, he found who he was looking for, and slowly made his way towards a table in the back. "Chief, I'm glad you can make it," Gil greeted a man with greying hair as he sat across from him.

"I heard that Captain Noishe was unavailable today, so I decided to show up myself," Chief Marshall explained, handing Gil a menu, "What do you have for me?"

"I told the captain that he should be expecting to see my son in the next few days, but I didn't anticipate him preparing to meet today. I think Lloyd should be meeting with him now," Gil replied, "But anyway, I just want you to know that Colette does indeed have an Exsphere implanted into her, and Captain Noishe will be working with Lloyd to find a cure for her. Outside of that, I may be out of town again for the next week or so, as Forcystus is starting his biggest project and requires someone going to Tethe'alla."

Marshall's eyebrows were raised. "What type of project?" he asked, "Was it that one that you said would harm national security?"

Gil nodded grimly. "That project requires some of Cruxis' most experienced people to work in Tethe'alla, and Forcystus has hinted at sending me. I haven't decided if I'll go yet, but if I do, you may be on your own again. Have you informed the army?"

"I have informed them on the potential threat, but they've taken no action so far, and I doubt they'll do anything like this until the threat is more prominent," the chief explained, "But if you're going to Tethe'alla, then I'm sure I can get the Sylvarant high command to relay the message over there, and see if they can keep an eye open for things. I'm sure Tethe'alla, which is more directly threatened by the Cruxis project, may have their armed forces better trained to tackle this."

Gil nodded, and for the next hour or so, they had a quiet peaceful lunch, trying to take their minds off the apparent danger. They finally split their ways, with Gil returning home while Marshall going back to his office. By the time he had returned to the police department's main office, the rain had already died down, and the sun started to peak through the clouds. But as Marshall approached his office, he saw a short, female officer standing outside. "May I help you?" he asked.

The officer turned to face the chief, her face in shock. She did not expect that he had returned from lunch that early, as she was on a lunch break herself. "I…I just wanted to know where your office was, that's all," she stuttered, trying to avoid eye contact.

Marshall was rather perplexed at the officer's reaction, but figured that she might be a rookie, and was therefore somewhat shy. "How long have you been with the Iselia Police? What unit are you from?" he gently probed her.

"I'm from the SIU, just at the basement of this building," she replied meekly, "and I've been with the force for less than three years."

Marshall smiled. "The SIU led by none other than Captain Eric Burton. You're lucky to be such a great unit, as only the elite cadets are hired. And Captain Burton himself is one of the top commanders in the force, so you're very lucky to be learning from such a great instructor," he marvelled. With that, he unlocked his office door and went straight for his desk.

"I'd best be going then," the officer quietly told the chief as she turned around and headed for the elevator. When she returned to her unit, she could finally breathe a sigh of relief, as she did not arouse further suspicion from the chief. Furthermore, knowing that the office was in the same building as her, she could do her mission more efficiently. She picked up her cell phone and dialled for Forcystus. "Sir, I found the chief's office," she reported, "It's not far from where I work, so I can start keeping a close eye on him."

* * *

That night, Lloyd and Raine scoured the academic sources recommended by Noishe to look for any information that might be of help to them. Although the sources did provide some background to the Exspheres and their usage in ancient times, few sources detailed the symptoms and their causes on the human body. That frustrated both sides, as the most important part of the cure could lie in the symptoms themselves.

"I don't get it. If the Exspheres are so commonly used in ancient times by soldiers and other technology, then why isn't there more stuff done on this?" Lloyd demanded.

"Relax, I think we have ourselves a start, although not exactly a good start," Raine replied. They were on the phone with each other, and to avoid having a third party listening in on their conversation, both sides decided to use their cell phones. "I think if we can get into the research centres and scour for more there, it'd be more effective."

"Can you even do that? I mean, we have to go to Meltokio and Sybak and all, so wouldn't that be kind of troublesome?" Lloyd retorted, "I don't think it's right for us to leave behind Colette when we're not even sure of her symptoms."

"I don't think we have much of a choice, considering the fact that Cruxis is onto Frank right now. Besides, being a research assistant means I have special access to files and articles that regular folk don't, so it should be quicker," Raine explained, "If we are to leave, we should do it within the next day or two, so that we can get back before the one week deadline for Frank is up."

"I assume you don't want anyone else to know about this either, now do you?" Lloyd inquired, "But how are you going to explain this to your grandmother or Genis? Or worse, how do I explain this to my dad?"

"I'll just tell them that I have to go to Tethe'alla to get some research done on my project, but as for you, all I can say is if it's going to arouse suspicion from Gil, maybe you should leave the source hunting to me. There's no telling what Gil or Cruxis may be up to if they know our motives, not that they don't know anyway," Raine advised.

Lloyd sighed, realizing that he was not in the position to bargain. After bidding Raine good night, he turned his computer off and prepared to go to bed himself. But before he could do anything, an all-too-familiar voice interrupted his actions. "So, you're starting to look for a cure now, huh?"

Lloyd turned to the source, and his face darkened. There stood Gil, in a somewhat casual pose with an arrogant smirk on his face. "You know you can't hide anything from me, Lloyd," Gil stated, "I heard everything that was said, especially about the part where you have to be out of town."

Lloyd growled. "If you think you can stop us from finding a cure for Colette by keeping me in Iselia, then you're sadly mistaken. We will carry out our mission, and when that's done, I'll take you and Forcystus out, with your friend Captain Noishe in the front row watching," Lloyd insisted.

Gil chuckled. "Now since when did I say you're not allowed to go to Meltokio, or Sybak?" he retorted, "In fact, I strongly encourage you to go to Tethe'alla and get a cure for Colette. After all, you do want her to be safe, don't you?"

Lloyd was stunned. What his father had just said was completely contrary to his expectations. Would it not make more sense for Gil to keep him in Iselia so Cruxis could monitor him? Why would Gil let Lloyd wander off to Meltokio with Raine just to find a cure for Colette and undermine Cruxis' efforts? "What's your motive?" Lloyd asked, his eyes narrowing into darts.

"Nothing. Given the fact that you're already that determined, I really have no good justification in stopping you. Besides, I have a bunch of things to do as well, so the last thing I want is to get you involved and in great danger," Gil pointed out.

"Danger? Since when did you start worrying about getting me in danger? You didn't hesitate in having that Exsphere implanted into Colette?" Lloyd retorted.

"There's more to all of this than that meets the eye, Lloyd, and Captain Noishe would have told you that," Gil replied, "Once you finish your search for a cure and heal Colette, I'll tell you all about it."

"What is the story behind you and Captain Noishe anyway? I'm just surprised that you're still friends with a cop, let alone your former commanding officer, despite being a member of Cruxis. Why hasn't he arrested you yet?" Lloyd demanded.

"There's more to the relation between Captain Noishe and myself than that meets the eye as well, but that doesn't matter right now. But if you are going to Tethe'alla with Raine, I do suggest you give the man a call, as he might be able to help you in ways that you might not expect," Gil replied.

Lloyd stared at Gil one more time, trying to read his mind, before heading back into his room and closing the door with a bang. Gil headed downstairs into the living room, where he picked up the home phone and dialled for Cruxis. "Forcystus, I would like to inform you that I will be taking the mission to Tethe'alla," he declared.

* * *

Indeed, much to his expectation, Raine managed to book two last minute plane tickets to get to Meltokio. They managed to convince Frank to drive them to the airport, after finally revealing some details into their project. They told him just enough to let him know that a cure was possible, but not enough for him to reveal anything dangerous. It was just to look like they were on a research mission instead of hunting for a cure. And, in an odd move to heed Gil's advice, Lloyd did give Captain Noishe a call. "We're heading to Tethe'alla for the next few days, and we hope to be coming back with a cure," Lloyd informed the captain as he sat on his porch waiting for Frank's car to arrive.

"How's Colette doing? I haven't gotten a chance to discuss her health with you since I spoke to you a few days ago. Is she still holding up?" Noishe asked.

"She's fine, but still bed stricken. Both Mrs. Brunel and I thought she was a bit weaker than before, but she claimed she was alright," Lloyd replied.

Noishe sighed. "I guarantee, that's the type of attitude that would lead her into more trouble. When it's something as dangerous as an Exsphere, telling someone that you're alright and then grinning and bearing it doesn't cut it," Noishe pointed out.

"Mrs. Brunel also told me that the hospital finished its analysis of the Exsphere, and it turns out to be a natural material. They said it was some type of ore from a mine, which is unusual, since Mrs. Brunel said that most natural minerals shouldn't affect the human body very much," Lloyd recalled.

"It's not unusual that they find a natural element to serve as the Exsphere, since to operate an Exsphere properly requires something called a Key Crest, and those often need to be made of ores," Noishe described, "I doubt the one they implanted into Colette is a proper Key Crest, because a real Key Crest is supposed to dampen the parasitic effects of the Exsphere, making it usable for the wearer."

"I've heard the term 'Key Crest' being used in some of those papers as well. So do you think we could use one of those if we can't find a cure?" Lloyd asked.

"A Key Crest is a good temporary solution, but the best thing to do is still to remove the implant altogether. And for this type of Exsphere, the only way that can be done is to neutralize the effects completely," Noishe explained.

"Actually, I got to go. Dr. Brunel and Raine are here," Lloyd ended the call and pocketed his cell phone as Frank pulled up onto the driveway. Lloyd threw his bags into the trunk and hopped onto the back seat. Frank then pulled out of the driveway and headed for the airport.

The entire ride was awkward, as all three remained relatively silent and tried to avoid eye contact with each other. It was not until they reached the airport that Frank finally revealed that he would be meeting Cruxis within the next day or two. "I have analyzed every possibility and I've decided that going with my original route is the best way. I have to do everything to keep my family safe, and right now this is the best option for me," he explained as he helped Lloyd and Raine with their bags.

Raine tried not to be too critical, but Lloyd could tell that she was having a hard time holding her displeasure in. "If that decision pleases you, then who am I to stand in your way? But I do want to remind you that this is an extremist group you're dealing with here, and they don't tend to do things the way you would normally imagine. I just hope you won't be putting your family into more risk," she reminded her supervisor.

"And I thank you for pointing that out, but you have to realize that my situation is a precarious one, and I'm very low on options," Frank pleaded his case, "I can't choose right now, not when my family's safety is at stake like this."

Raine turned to Frank and stared him in the eye. "Frank, as a friend, I want to warn you one more time. Whatever we're doing in Tethe'alla, keep it to yourself. I told you that a cure is possible, but it doesn't mean we will come up with anything. And if Cruxis finds out about a possible cure, we're in further danger. Seal your lips, alright?"

Frank nodded once more, and the two groups parted ways. As Frank headed into his vehicle, his cell phone rang. Looking at the unidentified caller from his caller ID, he slowly picked it up. "Hello?" he whispered into the speaker in a scared tone.

It was Forcystus. "Dr. Brunel, I've arranged a location and time for us to meet. Tomorrow, you are to follow these very simple instructions to get to Cruxis headquarters. You will park your car in the central library downtown, and step into the lobby. There, we will have a couple of people picking you up and leading you to another vehicle, where we will then take you in. Under no circumstance are you to question what they're doing or where they're bringing you. If you disobey any orders, the deal will be off and your daughter will meet her doom. Clear?"

"I'll do as you say, but please, is there anything you can offer for Colette? She's starting to get weaker, and I'm afraid she won't make it past the week," Frank pleaded.

Instead of answering, Forcystus slammed the phone down, leaving Frank on a dead line. He turned back to face his visitor and addressed his point, "Yes, Gil, if you are willing to take the Tethe'alla mission, then I'll have no problems sending you. We want the most experienced members on this part, so you're definitely my number one choice. But I also want to hold off sending you until Dr. Brunel can speak to us."

Gil was puzzled. "I assume it's because you want me to interrogate him, since we know each other personally?" he asked.

"Actually, it's because you two know each other personally that I want you out of this, since your presence could mean he could use you as a bargaining chip," Forcystus replied, "I want you here because I'm afraid the good professor may not necessarily be completely honest with us, or he may choose to give us information that is of little use. I want to have you implant a second Exsphere into our next target the second he lies, just to put more pressure into having him cooperate with us."

Gil raised his eyebrows. "That's pretty ruthless, considering you're targeting a child, or a senior citizen. You do realize that the only surviving relatives of his research assistant are twelve and seventy-two years old?"

"Twelve, seventy-two, why does that matter? One is a human, and the other is raised by and sides with humans, which means they're both inferior and they're both our enemies. I've said before: the only way to get our enemies to obey to us is to present myself as a fearsome god of death to them. Again, my decision on this is final, so don't try to talk me out of this." With a wave of the hand, he dismissed Gil from his office.

* * *

By the time the plane landed in Meltokio, Lloyd and Raine already had a plan for the searching of the cure. It was decided that Rain,e with her background and position as a research staff in a university, would be in charge of getting access to all the research centres, while Lloyd would help her document their findings. "There isn't much more to it than that: document the findings, summarize as quickly as we can, and then move on to Sybak," Raine explained as they hopped onto their rental vehicle.

"How long do we plan on staying here? You do realize that we haven't found any accommodation yet, right?" Lloyd asked.

"We should not be here for more than two days. If Captain Noishe was correct, the symptoms will worsen. The body ultimately loses control within a week to ten days, so we shouldn't spend more than a week looking for sources. If time does run short, then we may have to do the temporary cure and give Colette a Key Crest, provided someone can make one for us," Raine decided.

As they approached the National Research Academy's entrance, Lloyd let Raine do all the talking as she presented her identification and purpose. One glance and Lloyd could tell that security was high at this facility. A few minutes would pass before they were finally allowed in, and Raine drove all the way to the far end of the campus, where the archive building was located. "I think we have the best chance to find what we're looking for in here," she stated as she parked the vehicle.

Lloyd and Raine dove into the archives as they began scouring for information. Lloyd was amazed at the vast amount of information stored within this building, some dating to over five thousand years old, before the beginning of the Kharlan War. Oddly enough, there was nearly no information on Exspheres at that time, but much on the use of magi-technology and mana. "So using mana was not uncommon, and was done even in the ancient times," Lloyd murmured to himself.

Switching gears, he then targeted the Kharlan War itself, trying to find whether Exspheres were used during that time. "Captain Noishe did say that he was around at this time, when the first group tried to stop the Kharlan War and bring peace to the world, so I think he can verify these sources and their accuracy," Lloyd informed Raine.

"Maybe, maybe not," Raine replied, her nose inside a thick book, "All I can say is that back then, the concern was not with Exspheres, but with ending the mana disparity between the two ancient kingdoms. That's why, according to these texts, the leader of the first group, a half-elf by the name of Mithos Yggdrasill pulled the world into two, which ultimately created a cycle where there would be competition between the two worlds."

"How does somebody actually succeed in tearing the world into two? And more importantly, how did they put it back together?" Lloyd asked, approaching Raine.

"According to some sources, it was the summon spirits that he used to pull the world apart. He had eight of them, four from each world, form four great pillars that kept the worlds in position, all the while having mana transfer between them. But when the time came for the Reunification group to put it back together, they had also used the summon spirits. But what happened afterwards was pretty hazy," Raine described.

Lloyd stared at the ground, contemplating the ideas. Could that be why Cruxis was after them throughout their journey into Thoda Geyser and Balacruf Mausoleum? It was likely that, at least according to history, whoever controlled the mana of the world would basically control the world itself. Shaking that thought away, he returned his focus onto the current situation: curing Colette's illness. "Is there any information from those sources describing what Exspheres are and how they can be removed?" he asked.

"Actually, there have been some unverified rumours in which a member of the Kharlan War group and a member of the Reunification group both had a similar condition to Colette, in which an Exsphere was implanted into someone. But those observations were never verified," Raine explained. Checking her watch, she signalled to Lloyd that they were ready to leave, "We've been here for a good few hours already, and I think we should call it a day. Let's get a hotel or something like that, and rest for the night. We have lots to go through. Hopefully, we can start searching for details of Exspheres in the later dates, and any implications they may have on our situation," Raine decided.

As they headed back to their vehicle, Lloyd gave Captain Noishe a call, updating him on their progress. Along with that, Lloyd asked Noishe some questions with regards to the condition suffered by members of the two groups, and if there were any similarities between then and now. "Raine said that the findings were never verified, so I don't know whether we can find anything on that or not, but if such a situation did exist, then it could be possible that you were a witness. Did you see anything like that in the past?" he asked.

"Yes, in fact, in the Kharlan War group, everyone had an Exsphere on, including my former owner. But two of them died before the world was reunited, and of the two surviving members, one of them had the Exsphere removed prior to his death," Noishe replied, "I think the one that is most similar to your situation would be the former Chosen from the reunification group, as she also had an Exsphere attached, but this one was a more advanced type called a Cruxis Crystal."

"We haven't looked into sources that discussed the reunification process yet, but we did find some interesting notes about summon spirits in general. You may probably know that two places with a summon spirit were hijacked recently, and it did seem like a case of history repeating itself, as in both the Kharlan War and the reunification, the group that controlled the mana basically controlled the fate of the world," Lloyd stated.

"That would be accurate, given that mana was a non-renewable resource," Noishe responded, "It won't surprise me that the Cruxis group of today wants to do the same."

At this time, Raine interrupted the call. Whispering to Lloyd, she wanted him to ask Noishe about possible sources that they could turn to for cures of the illness. "If it's not here in Meltokio, then we might as well move on to Sybak tomorrow," she stated.

Lloyd nodded. Turning back to his phone, he forwarded the question to Noishe, who had no answer for them. "The Research Academy was usually the best source, even in my days as Arshis, but Sybak could be another option. My guess is that you should stick with Meltokio for another day, and get as much from there as possible before going to Sybak. But other than that, I really have nothing left for you. I mean, I can't just leave Iselia with my unit observing the case this closely," Noishe answered apologetically.

"That's alright, I think we can handle the rest from here, you were very helpful," Lloyd replied, ending the call. Turning back to Raine, he gave her the conclusion that they were going to be on their own for at least the next little while.

Raine shrugged as if she expected it to happen. "What else can we do now? The captain has to deal with his case, Frank is supposed to meet with Cruxis, and your father is so far nowhere to be seen. The only thing we can do right now is to rely on ourselves," she retorted as they returned to their car.

* * *

The next day in Iselia, Frank received the call he had been anticipating. It was Cruxis calling him to give him further instructions for their meeting. "I assume you have all the information that you'll be giving us with you?" Forcystus asked.

"Yes, everything is with me, I'll do anything you want me to," Frank stuttered.

"First, I want you to get into your car and drive to downtown, and park just before you get into the core. Then, you will walk the remaining distance to the Iselia Central Library, where you will wait in the lobby. I will call you again when you're there, and we will arrange for members to pick you up and bring you here," Forcystus instructed.

"Alright, I'll be right there. I just want to make sure someone is here to watch over Colette. She's still quite weak, you know," Frank pointed out.

"Just make sure your caretaker doesn't know what you're doing or where you're going. Should this get leaked, you can kiss your daughter goodbye," Forcystus retorted. With that, he slammed the phone down, leaving Frank to stand there in shock and fear.

The professor would wait for a couple more minutes before Lynn Sage arrived in her Nissan Altima, which was converted into a hybrid earlier in the year (courtesy of a certain senior's discount). "Genis is visiting a couple of friends, so he won't be coming over. I'm pretty much home alone all day, so I can watch over Colette while you're gone," she told Frank as she entered the house.

Frank thanked her and hopped into his vehicle, driving into the downtown core. Although there was no rain today, the skies were still overcast, mirroring the sombre mood that Frank was in. Following Forcystus' orders, he parked his car on the edge of the downtown area, and walked his way to the library. The wind was starting to pick up, biting and pulling at Frank's shirt on this oddly chilly day in August.

Frank entered the Central Library and stood aside in the lobby, waiting for the phone call. Many people passed by, entering and exiting the library, just another regular outing for them to do some reading or research. But for Frank, the joyous mood of these people contrasted his worried thoughts for Colette perfectly.

Then, after what seemed like an eternity, his cell phone rang, sending a wave of emotions through the professor. Part of him was relieved that Cruxis lived up to their word, but another part was fearful of what these extremists would do to him should he mess anything up. Clutching his folders close to his chest, he picked up his cell and managed a weak: "Hello?"

"Dr. Brunel, you are at the library, correct? Then follow the instructions closely," Forcystus ordered, "Walk outside and you'll see a grey cargo van."

Frank obeyed and slowly marched out, and indeed, a dark grey, windowless van was parked at the end of the street. "When you get close to it, the side door will open, and some of our Cruxis members will be there. You are to board the van, and not ask any questions. We will then drive you all the way to our headquarters." Forcystus continued.

Indeed, Frank slowly moved his way to the grey vehicle, stopping just outside of it. Then, before he could react, the side door whipped open and two men grabbed him, roughly hauling him inside. Before Frank could even sit straight, the door was slammed shut and the van took off. "What's going on here?" he shouted into his phone.

But Forcystus had already hung up, leaving Frank to look on confused. "Just sit down and shut up," the driver of the van barked at him as they continued speeding down the streets. Because there were no side windows, Frank could not tell where they were going, and did not have a good idea of where this Cruxis headquarters was located.

Then, as suddenly as he had been pulled into the van, the vehicle stopped, and Frank was herded out. He tried to get a look at the surrounding areas, and saw several warehouses. He guessed that they were probably in the industrial part of the town. But before he could do more, he was herded off into a large building. They snaked past dark hallways and rooms, until they reached an office in the back. "Sir, Dr. Brunel is here," one person said as he shoved Frank into the room, closing the door on the way out.

Frank looked on nervously as the chair spun around, revealing a tall green-haired half-elf. "Dr. Brunel, I'm glad you can make it. Let's skip the formal introductions and get on to business, shall we? Do you have what I want?"

* * *

Hm. I didn't get to use as many writing devices as I hoped to in this chapter. Hopefully I can start again in a little while. The action is going to pick up even more, so keep reading! Thanks for visiting!


	18. Attacking a Senior and a Child

Those three (**Dawnstarshine**, **I.K.A. Valian**, and **Fenrir of the Shadows**) provided the reviews. Just want to let you guys know that there won't be anything funny or humorous happening for the next little while, as we've finally reached the climax of the story. Again, I will reveal more as we go along the way, but I'll still be adding twists and turns here and there, including one that will happen in this chapter.

Also, I'm going to go back to using poetic devices (Show-Don't-Tell, Story-Within-a-Story) again in the nearby future. I haven't gotten a chance to use them in the last chapter or two due to the event progression, but I assure you they'll be occurring more often again in the next little while. Keep looking out for them.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

"So this is all the information you have regarding the discoveries you made in each ruin over the summer?" Forcystus asked. The Cruxis leader of Iselia was face to face with Frank Brunel, who was forced to cooperate with him in exchange for Colette's safety. Frank had done everything he was told and gave Forcystus all his findings of the visits to Thoda Geyser, the Balacruf Mausoleum, and the Triet ruins. Currently, Forcystus was going over them, making sure nothing was missing.

But the silence in the room was making Frank awfully uncomfortable, as any mistake could cause Colette's life to end. He tried to get eye contact with Forcystus to see his expression. If he seemed satisfied, then there might be a way out for Colette.

But such a situation was not true, as Forcystus had most of his face covered by the files, and even when Frank caught quick glimpses, the tall half-elf was relatively poker-faced, not showing any emotion. In fact, the only thing that could be heard from the room was the breathing of the two men, the inhaling and exhaling eerily similar to the hallways of Balacruf Mausoleum. This is the calm before the storm, right before Cruxis and that other group attacked us, Frank thought to himself.

Finally, the suspense was lifted, and Forcystus closed the folder. Looking Frank in the eye, he asked a single question. "How much does your daughter mean to you?"

Frank was flabbergasted. "What kind of a question is that? Of course she means a lot to me, more than anything in the world!" he exclaimed, "Please, I've done everything you told me to, so can you at least not hurt my family?" Frank pleaded.

Forcystus smirked. "So now you're begging? You finally realized that our race and organization are superior to yours?" He leaned back on his chair, admiring the efforts to make the professor more frightened, "Most of the time, I'll say inferior beings don't deserve mercy. But this time, I might just make an exception."

"So you're really going to let our family go and find a cure for Colette's illness?" Frank asked hopefully, "Thank you, I knew we can come to some understanding."

"Not so fast, because we haven't decided whether your information is of use to us yet," Forcystus warned, "If the information is useful, then we will carry out our word." Just as this was said, the same group that brought Frank into the building came barging into the room. Grabbing Frank by the shoulders, they literally hauled him out and back into the cargo van. They said nothing to him as they drove him back to the Central Library, roughly pushing him out onto the sidewalk as they screeched to a stop.

Then, as suddenly as the entire fiasco began, it ended with the van veering off, leaving Frank at the sidewalk to stew in his own thoughts. Apparently, the incident was not over yet, as he still had to wait for Cruxis' next call. Sighing, he turned a walked away from the downtown core, heading back to his vehicle and heading home. Somehow, he felt, the next few days were only going to get nastier.

* * *

And while Frank was in Iselia stewing in his own thoughts, Lloyd and Raine were making a surprising amount of progress in Meltokio. The events after the Kharlan War and leading up to the reunification indeed featured excessive use of Exspheres, courtesy of Mithos, the leader of the Kharlan War group. "It seems like he was nothing more than disillusioned, thinking he could create a new world, when really, he's killing even more people," Lloyd pointed up as they scoured through the books.

"You know, sometimes, the difference between a hero and a villain is as simple as how successful one has been in their efforts to contribute to the world. Always remember that in history, the winners always tell the story," Raine replied.

"That's a pretty cynical view," Lloyd muttered, "Whatever happened to giving everybody a fair judgment?" he asked as he flipped the page.

"Call it what you want, but it's always been a fact. Even when you look at the leaders of the two groups, you'll see them as very similar people. They both intended to create a new world order that allows everyone to be safe and free, and look at the results. It's not always fair to give two different judgments to two similar people, but results do actually matter," Raine explained, "But anyway, how are those Exspheres?"

"It seemed like Exspheres were first created for two purposes, one of which is to stabilize the financial situation of the Kahrlan War group. When Martel, Mithos' sister died, Mithos went with his plan to create his new world order, and that meant he needed funds to pay for the project. The Exsphere is then used as that marketable product and is sold worldwide, giving him the money to get and build what he needs," Lloyd described.

"What about the reason that Captain Noishe referred to?" Raine asked, "You know, that one about the Exsphere requires people to give up their lives?"

"That's a secondary reason for the production," Lloyd answered, "the Exsphere requires a host body to gain full power, courtesy of the Angelus Project, as sponsored by Mithos. In fact, the leader of the reunification group, Lloyd Irving, my namesake, told of the story that his mother died as a subject to that experiment. And here it said that was one of the main reasons that motivated him into taking his course of action."

"So if we go according to your logic, then it's true that Exspheres were also a way to decrease the human population and let half-elves gain numerical superiority," Raine analyzed, "With Cruxis the way it is right now, I won't be surprised if they do the same."

"All this history, but nothing on Key Crests or cures," Lloyd said, frustrated, "How are going to cure Colette if we still can't find anything?"

"Maybe not. Come look at this," Raine called, signalling Lloyd to take a look at her book, "It says here that the Lloyd Irving from that group was an expert in dwarven skills and crafts, and many people do consider Key Crests to be works developed by dwarves. So if we find more information on your namesake, we may just find out more about the Key Crest that is needed to cure Colette."

Lloyd gave the paragraph a read. Indeed, his namesake was raised by a dwarf, and had learned most of his skills from the dwarf. Likewise, the Key Crest also requires an ore of some sort, which meant they might need to be travelling again. "But that still begs the question: who can make us this Crest?" Lloyd asked.

"I think the first thing we need to worry about is whether Colette will remain safe in the following few days. If her condition gets worse, then we need to hurry. Speaking of which, Frank was supposed to meet with Cruxis today," Raine recalled.

Lloyd suggested that they give the Brunels a call, just to check up on Frank and Colette. When Raine did not object, he pulled out his cell phone and dialled for the Brunel residence. After a few rings, Frank finally picked up. "Dr. Brunel, this is Lloyd. We're still in Meltokio, and we starting to find some stuff. How's Colette doing?"

"Colette is…" Frank stuttered, trying to collect his thoughts. Hearing this, Lloyd got concerned, "She's still bed-stricken, but something very weird happened to her."

"Daddy, is that Lloyd?" Colette could be heard from the background, "I want to speak to him. Can you give me the phone?"

Lloyd could then hear Frank try to get Colette back in bed, with the blond girl protesting. "Dr. Brunel? Colette? Is everything alright?"

After further shuffling, Frank came back onto the phone. "The weird thing was that when I gave Colette a cup of hot chocolate, she spilled some onto her hands, but she said she didn't felt anything. When she started drinking it, she said it had little to no taste. I'm thinking it's the implant's effects, but I don't know what to do," he stammered.

Lloyd was confused about this. He recalled that the Exsphere did make people lose their senses, but to have it happening not even a week after the implantation seemed to be quite rapid. "Can you get her on the phone?" he requested, waving for Raine.

Frank could be heard moving towards the bed, and a little while later, Colette spoke into the phone. "Lloyd, seriously, I'm alright. I never said I didn't get burned. It's just that it doesn't hurt too much. I just don't want to be a burden to you all, since you're all going to Tethe'alla to find a cure for me and all."

"Colette, it's really no burden. We're doing everything we can to help you, so just make sure you stay out of trouble, especially when it comes to Cruxis," Lloyd reminded her, "You never know what they may do to you if you run into them again."

"You're right, I'll be careful. I'm sorry I got us into this," Colette apologized.

"There's no need to apologize. It's not your fault that Cruxis decided to target us," Lloyd assured his friend. At this time, Raine whispered into Lloyd's ear about Frank's meeting with Cruxis, asking him to raise that point. Turning back to the phone, Lloyd said, "Speaking of which, is it true that Dr. Brunel met with them earlier today?"

Colette handed the phone back to her father, who described the meeting with Forcystus to Lloyd and Raine, who listened on with intent. "I've been told that they may not be giving me the cure yet, because they wanted to see whether the information I gave them was of any use first," Frank explained, "And that's why you've got to help me. I don't know how much longer Colette can last, or how much more danger we may be in."

"If that's the case, then we shouldn't loiter in Meltokio any longer," Raine decided, "We should get to Sybak and start looking at stuff from over there. The sooner we can get our hands on a cure, the better the chances are for Colette to make it out alive." With that, she and Lloyd ended the call, and returned to their research materials.

* * *

A couple of days later, Lloyd and Raine were on their way to Sybak. The research materials from Meltokio provided them with ample background information to lead them on their search for a cure. They managed to find out more about the original reunification group, and how their healer had mixed the cures with her healing techniques to create an even stronger cure that nullified the Exsphere's negative impacts. "We may have the potential to save Colette, provided we find out about her technique," Raine stated.

"Hey, didn't you say before that you were named after the healer? She was your namesake, right?" Lloyd asked curiously as they got into their rental vehicle.

"She is indeed, and I have been aware of her for a while, although I admit that I don't have the slightest clue when it comes down to healing," Raine replied.

"I heard half-elves can live for a long time, and this healer was a half-elf. So maybe Captain Noishe knows something about her, or maybe still had contact with her after the reunification," Lloyd stated hopefully.

But as they hit the highway again in Meltokio, the hopeful mood was not reflected back in Iselia, as Frank received a strange phone call at home. "Hello?"

"Dr. Brunel, we've gone over all your research, and we found relatively little that can help us on our mission. I believe you know what that would mean," Forcystus said.

Frank's heart skipped a beat. If what Forcystus said was true, then it would mean Colette would not get a cure. "What do you want me to do?" Frank asked nervously.

"I think that would be obvious, no?" Forcystus retorted, "Hand over everything. Not just what you've found in the last few months, but everything between you and your team. Do it or that's it for your daughter," he snarled over the phone.

"Alright, I'll do it, just don't hurt my family!" Frank assured the Cruxis leader.

"Wait for our next call for the drop. Any more funny business and that's it!" With that, Forcystus slammed the phone down, leaving Frank standing there dumbfounded.

"Daddy, who was that?" Colette was heard asking from upstairs. She coughed a couple of times, causing Frank to run up to check on her. Colette was standing at the doorway of her bedroom, holding the door frame for balance. Her energy was minimal at best; even when she tried to stand, her legs were wobbling like jelly.

"Colette, you shouldn't be getting out of bed," Frank scolded her as they try to make their way back into the room, "You're too weak right now, so try conserving your energy," the professor escorted his daughter back into bed, getting her comfortable and tucking her in. "That was no one in particular, just some salesman looking for another client," he explained, trying to conceal the truth so Colette need not worry.

There was a slight twitch in Colette's face, as if her expression had changed. But before Frank to notice it, Colette sighed and lied back down in bed. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. There's nothing to get all worked up about," Colette assured her father, as if she read his mind about the phone call.

Frank realized this too, but to ensure there was no panic, he tried to play along. "Well, I just have to deal with some stuff, so I'll be downstairs if you need me."

When Colette did not object, Frank left the bedroom, gently closing the door on the way out. Returning to the living room, he whipped out his cell phone and dialled for Raine. He needed further assurance from his research assistant that a cure was indeed on the way. After a short wait, Raine finally picked up the phone, and Frank wasted no time telling her the stakes Cruxis proposed. "Right now I'm out of options here," he fretted.

"Frank, you don't plan to spill the beans, do you?" Raine asked, concerned.

"Right now I have no choice, and Cruxis is really pressuring me. If I don't get them any information, then the deal is off. If I do get them information, they may start inquiring about you two, which would basically halt the search for a cure and put you in further danger," Frank described nervously, "Besides, there's no telling that Cruxis would stay true to their word even if I do cooperate, and I don't know who'll be targeted."

Raine sighed. The situation was getting dire, and they still did not know whether they had enough time to find the materials needed for the cure to work completely. "Is there anything in particular they may want? Because if there is, then we may be able to use it as a bargaining chip," she suggested.

"Raine, this is my daughter's life you're talking about here. This is no time to do any bargaining, you should know that," Frank pleaded.

"But if we let Cruxis know of our plans, then they'll harm your family even more. We can't reveal all, especially what we're doing in Tethe'alla, Frank," Raine retorted.

"So we're not allowed to say nothing, but we can't say everything either," Frank groaned, "This is more difficult than I thought. So what can I say?"

Raine thought for a while, the silence further aggravating Frank as he got more nervous by the second. Finally, Raine had an idea. "You know those pieces that we received from the summon spirits, but Sheena later on took away when she left with that strange anti-Cruxis group? Try giving Cruxis some information on those, I think that may give enough of a distraction to buy us more time," she suggested.

"Will that be sufficient? I mean, I doubt Cruxis will let us off the hook when those pieces are with Sheena right now," Frank replied.

"Frank, if there's one thing that we've learned from those sources at Meltokio, it is that those who control the mana can control the world. If you give them just enough about the mana to get their attention, they may just tilt their eyes away from us. That way, it will give us more time to ourselves. Know what I mean?" Raine explained.

Frank thought for a few minutes. He was still unconvinced, but realized that he had limited options. Sighing, he agreed. "I just hope this gamble works, or else we may be in for the long haul," After wishing Raine good luck, he hung up and returned to his room, gathering the information that Cruxis demanded before their next meeting.

* * *

As their vehicle approached Sybak, Lloyd and Raine took a glance at the surroundings. This was definitely a typical college or university town, with a smaller population, quiet atmosphere, and a sense of calm throughout the streets. Trees lined the sidewalks as they drove towards the university's research centre, the breeze blowing into their car a stark contrast to the frantic mood the two were in.

As they approached the gate, Raine flashed her ID as a researcher, and they were led into the main campus. But just as Lloyd positioned the vehicle to head for the main library, Raine grabbed his shoulder and suggested he change course. Puzzled, Lloyd obeyed and swerved the car around, heading down a narrower road and ending behind the main library. Before them was a smaller building, with most of it in the shadows of the larger library. There, Raine told Lloyd to park the car and get off. "Uh, may I ask why exactly we are here when the main library is over there?" Lloyd asked.

"We're here instead of the library because this archive has more historically important documents usually not available to the public. As a registered researcher, I have special access to them. They may tell us how that illness is cured in the past, so we may just use that to our advantage and get the cure here," Raine explained.

As they entered the smaller building, Lloyd continued to have questions. "Why won't they be available to the public? I mean, the world regeneration is a very serious and important event, so why would there be so-called classified information?" he asked.

"They're not really classified, but just old and fragile, so they usually keep the primary sources here in this archive, while secondary, interpreted, or adapted versions are presented in the library," Raine replied, "But since secondary versions aren't usually direct or complete, it's best if we look at the primary works first."

As they entered the main chamber, they went with their original approach again to split up: Lloyd would look for sources on the disease suffered by the member of the reunification group, while Raine targeted the time after the reunification, where the use of Exspheres were allegedly halted completely, as they had found out in Meltokio. "It's mainly because the history of the reunification group was not very well known after the reunification that we had to come here," Raine commented as they went their separate ways.

Lloyd wandered off to the appropriate section. Looking through the massive collection of books, manuscripts, and old texts, he could not help but be amazed at the vast amount of information stored in the archives. Why would anybody want to limit the amount of history distributed? Shouldn't historians and archaeologists have responsibility to educate the public on this? "Man, I'm sounding like Raine," he muttered to himself.

Just as Lloyd was about to move on, an old book caught his eye. There, on the almost worn-out spine of a small book contained a title that might include something that he was looking for. "Ancient Healing with Mana," Lloyd said the title to himself, "this might be of use here." As gently as possible, he tried to pull the book out.

Just as he squeezed his fingers on the book, a familiar voice caught his attention. He squinted forward, beyond his shelf and down the row, and saw a certain researcher from Mizuho standing in the far foyer. Indeed, Sheena was speaking with Dr. Mark Owen and what seemed to be members of the group from Luin. "Strange, why would they want to hijack the library?" Lloyd murmured. Trying to remain quiet, Lloyd began to slowly pull the book out of the shelf, all the while keeping an eye on Sheena. He was so focused on spying on the Mizuho native that he did not even realize that the book was still wedged in the bookcase, not having moved much, if at all.

Lloyd frowned, as the book was not being very cooperative. He pulled harder, and it budged maybe about half an inch. Lloyd began to wrestle with the bookcase, pulling and twisting the book to get it out. The layer of dust covering some of the material around him was being thrown up, and if it weren't for Lloyd's dark fingerless gloves, the dust would be all over his hands. He kept on struggling against the bookcase, all the while trying to observe Sheena. But just as his attention was away from the book, it broke free of the shelf's stranglehold and came flying out, sending Lloyd crashing into the ground.

The loud "Thud" echoed throughout the building, breaking the attention Mark and company had on their research and looked up to see the commotion. As Lloyd untangled himself from the ground, more dust was thrown up. He sneezed loudly and echoing it across the chamber once again. By this time, there was no escape, as Sheena's group was right at his aisle, with most members having a bewildered expression on their faces. "Lloyd? What are you doing here?" Sheena asked.

Before Lloyd could reply, Raine appeared onto the scene, diverting the group's attention for a moment. Just as they were distracted, Lloyd took the chance to confront Sheena. Getting onto his feet and tucking the book under his arm, he stepped up to her to get some answers. "I think I should be asking an explanation from you instead. After all those hijackings, the fiasco at Luin, and all the danger we've been through, why on earth are you still hanging with these guys?" he demanded, jabbing his finger in her face.

"Lloyd, how many times have I told you? This is something I have to deal with myself, and it's best if you stay out of the way. I know what I'm doing, and I don't want anything to go wrong if something dangerous happens," Sheena replied harshly.

"If? Don't you mean when something dangerous happens?" Lloyd retorted, his volume increasing so much that his words could be heard echoing throughout the room.

At this time, Raine caught on to Lloyd's words, and took the chance to intervene. "Lloyd, I think you need to be updated on what's happening," she said, stepping between the two feuding sides, "When we were at the Triet ruins again, Sheena finally revealed some of her group's objectives, and I think it's best if we tell you."

* * *

"Dr. Brunel's information is of no use to us. Given the fact that these mana stones or pieces are with the other group, it's not going to do us much good. So we'll move on to the next phase of our plan," Forcystus informed the group, "We will go to the home of his research assistant and target one of her family members."

And that was where Gil was headed with Dell and Chatman. Gil gave Lynn a call, just to confirm that she was home. That would be very important, as Forcystus chose Lynn to be their next target. "The young guy might be healthy and energetic, meaning the Exsphere won't have as big an effect. By sticking into the grandmother, we know the target is weaker, meaning effects will be faster and the impact will be greater. I'd like to see how much longer Dr. Brunel and his assistant can stall for time," Forcystus decided.

As they continued driving down the suburban neighbourhood, Chatman raised an interesting point. "Notice that the last time we did this, we attached the Exsphere onto the girl's chest? But this time, we were asked to attach it onto the wrist. Why the difference?"

"I heard it's because older people tend to be more frail around the ribcage, and the wrist or hand is a good secondary attachment area," Dell explained, "The target is useless to us if she dies, so we have to keep her alive for just long enough for Forcystus to act."

While his two half-elf partners discussed, Gil's mind was far from clear. Knowing that he had to attack one of the only people that gave him support over the last ten years, he could not help but feel a sense of guilt. Lynn had done so much for him, but now he had to turn around and betray that trust, all to carry out his mission with Cruxis, and on a larger scale, with the police. "Why does it feel like I'm manipulating her?" Gil thought.

But at the same time, Gil realized that it had to be done. The only way he could return to a normal relationship with his family and friends was to finish off Cruxis once and for all, and it meant being undercover. He had to manipulate and deceive people in the past, and despite being in this dilemma, he realized it was inevitable that he had to do it again. "Let's just go in and get it over with, okay?" he suggested to Dell and Chatman.

As Gil pulled his Audi V8 up to the driveway, Dell pulled out a bottle of ether and soaked a small towel with it. It was meant to turn Lynn unconscious while they attach the Exsphere. They also figured that Genis was not a threat, so they did not prepare anything for him. "If Lynn answers the door, then we just smother her face. But if it's Genis, then I'll try to divert his attention while you hunt his grandmother down," Gil instructed.

Dell and Chatman nodded. With that, the three exited the vehicle and stepped up to the front door. Looking at his partners one last time, Gil rang the door bell and waited.

A few minutes felt like an eternity as the three stood outside, wondering who would answer the bell. Then, finally door pulled open, revealing the elderly face of Lynn Sage. "Hello, Gil," she greeted as she opened the screen door, "You called me earlier saying you wanted to come over. What's the big rush?"

"Lynn, I would like you to meet my friend and colleague, Dell Petersen," Gil introduced the tall half-elf to his right. Just as he said this, Dell shot forward, getting ready to smother her face with the ether-soaked towel.

But unfortunately for Dell, he was caught right between Gil and the door. That bought Lynn some time, as upon seeing the attacker, she charged back inside the house to call the police. Springing into action, Gil and Chatman pursued her, grabbing her just before she could enter the kitchen. "What the…Gil, what are you doing? Let go of me!" Lynn protested as she flailed hard, trying to get free. But it would be of little use, as they held tight, hauling her into the dining room and seated her in a chair.

The struggle between the three caused quite a ruckus, as their grunts and Lynn's muffled screams added to the mixed noises of chairs and tables scrapping against the floor. This caught the attention of a younger half-elf, who slowly descended the stairs. "Grandma, what's going on downstairs?" Genis asked from the stairway.

But one glance at the dining room prompted Genis to take action. Seeing his grandmother pinned to a chair, he ran into the living room to get another phone. This was not unnoticed by Gil, who sent Chatman to stop Genis while they struggled against Lynn. Chatman made a diving tackle just as Genis picked up the phone, sending both half-elves hurtling to the floor. The phone fell out of Genis' hand and skidded harmlessly away.

Genis tried to make another lunge at the phone, but Chatman held firm, clutching the back of Genis' vest. Thinking quickly, Genis unzipped his vest and slipped out of it, sending Chatman crashing backwards. Still wearing his light blue T-shirt, Genis stumbled forward and picked up the phone off the ground.

Just as he was about to dial, Genis heard a muffled scream from the dining room. Dell had placed the towel onto Lynn's face and smothered her with it. "Stay away from my grandma!" Genis shouted, changing directions and charging into the dining room.

But Genis did not make it very far, as Chatman untangled himself from the floor and the vest and blindsided Genis, pinning him against the wall, the force of the collision so great that Genis dropped the phone again. In the struggle, Genis saw from the corner of his eye that Lynn was losing consciousness, but he was in no position to help her. Then, his eyes landed on the fireplace, giving him an idea. Although they had a gas fire that was off at the moment, there was likely enough fire elementals around the fireplace to cast a spell. Freeing his left hand, he reached for the fireplace and concentrated hard.

After an agonizing few seconds, three small fireballs shot out from the fireplace and flew across the room. The first one hit Chatman squarely on the back, causing the half-elf to release his grip. The other two sputtered their way into the dining room, but still had enough energy to hit Gil and Dell, causing them to yelp in pain and release Lynn. This allowed the elderly woman to get an extra breath or two, but it was evident that the ether was taking its toll, as she grew drowsier and drowsier by the second.

Genis was also in no position to push forward either, as the casting of the spell was extra difficult due to the short supply of fire mana from the fireplace. This caused the collection of mana particles to be more difficult and requiring even more energy for the release. Genis staggered forward a couple more steps, doing everything he could to reach the phone or Lynn. The phone was a few inches before him, so close that he could almost touch it. He stretched his arm, trying to grab it as his knees buckled and gave way.

Finally, the young half-elf could not keep standing anymore, as he collapsed onto the ground, his hand just a fingernail-width away from the phone. His eyelids fluttered a few times, he too slipping in and out of consciousness. Between it all, he could see Gil and Dell approach the defenceless Lynn again, smothering her face again with the towel. Genis tried to say something, but all that came out was a low groan. He could feel some pressure on his back, as Chatman pressed a hand onto his spine to ensure he stayed down. At that point, a feeling of helplessness clouded over the young half-elf. "Grand…ma…," he stuttered one last time, before lapsing into unconsciousness.

* * *

How's that for a twist? Gil had to turn on his friend and confidant, just to satisfy Forcystus. And how about Genis fighting back near the end there? Most of the time, Genis is portrayed as book-smart but completely pathetic at defending himself (both in canon and in most fan-fics) so I wanted to make him a bit more realistic and complete. Give me your thoughts, thank you!


	19. Difficulties of a Utopia

Just one review from **I.K.A. Valian.** I hoped I addressed your concerns in my last email to you. I think the best way to put it is that fear of the unknown compounded with safety of one's friends and family may cause one to do things that are "illogical", or miss out on choosing "logically obvious" options.

More TOS characters will make their debuts in my story this chapter, along with me revealing more of Cruxis' motives, Sheena and Mizuho's objectives, and Anna's novel. I based Anna's novel on a real book that actually existed. Let's see if you can guess what book it is.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

"I see. So you're not really a regular researcher, but you're involved with national defence activities with Mizuho and Tethe'alla as a whole as well," Lloyd concluded. They were in the main chamber of the old archives building at the University of Sybak, and Sheena had just finished explaining her situation to Lloyd. Raine listened in as well, just to fill in the bits and pieces that she heard from her last time out.

"You see, we have been aware of Cruxis as a whole here in Tethe'alla for the last three years, and the military had been monitoring them to ensure that they did not pose a threat to national security. And the only way to understand their actions is to speak with experts in past conflicts like this, and it just so happens that I was recruited by the army to help provide this information," Sheena explained.

"Not to mention that Sheena had roots in Mizuho, meaning that she was part of a city that had traditionally been effective in the defence department," Raine added, "Put the factors together and you get a group that was literally flying under the radar."

"What I didn't get was Dr. Owen, as you said that you weren't really aware of this until you overheard one of her conversations. She swore you to secrecy, but it didn't mean you had to be involved. Why did you decide to go along with this?" Lloyd asked.

"Part of my responsibility as Sheena's supervisor is to assist her in as many ways as I possibly can, and that might mean getting involved in some of her cooperation with the military," Mark described, "But part of this has to do with my own personal history, something that I'm not sure if I should disclose at the moment."

Lloyd winced again. Why was it that everybody he met had so many secrets? What was so important that they could not disclose? "You know, we would have been able to trust you easier if you were a bit more transparent," Lloyd snapped.

Just as this was said, Raine's cell phone rang, prompting her to step aside and field the call. Lloyd, Sheena and company looked on nervously as Raine's body language signified that something might have gone horribly wrong. The seconds slowly ticked by, making the wait even more agonizing. It would not be surprising to the group if Cruxis was behind yet another attack on their loved ones. My dad's going to get it if he hurts another person, Lloyd thought to himself.

Finally, Raine stepped forward, her expression revealing all. "There's been another attack by Cruxis, and this time, it's at my house," Raine stated glumly, confirming all of Lloyd's fears, "Grandma and Genis have both been taking to the hospital, so we need to get back to Iselia fast," she decided.

Lloyd froze as a flurry of images flashed through his mind. There were a number of possibilities as to what might have happened, and many involved an Exsphere being implanted. Lloyd was lost in thought until Raine shouted his name. "Lives are at stake here, and if we don't get going who knows what will happen to Grandma and Genis."

Lloyd finally snapped out of his thoughts and went to pick up his stuff. Raine quickly recorded all the books they used for future reference while they prepared to leave. "I just hope this archive allows you to save materials," she muttered.

Just as they were ready to exit the door, Sheena caught up to them. "Lloyd, Raine, I don't recommend you catching a flight from the airport. You could be there forever trying to connect flights back to Iselia. Why don't you come with me?" she suggested.

Lloyd and Raine seemed sceptical. How would Sheena be able to help them get back to Iselia? Just as they mulled this over, Sheena pulled a tall individual with dark hair from her group over. "This is Lieutenant Tiga, one of Mizuho's leading military experts, and an active member of the Tethe'alla air force. I'm sure he can work out a deal with the military base to have you guys sent back to Iselia in a hurry," she explained.

That did not ease their worries. "Are you sure that the military allows that, given that we're civilians? Besides, we're from Sylvarant, and that means we're not citizens of this country. Will we be allowed to use your military equipment?" Lloyd raised the point.

"Knowing that Cruxis is an organization that spreads across the border and into Sylvarant as well, anything that they do is of concern to us. We were also tipped by a law enforcement member from Sylvarant about this threat, so we owe it to them for that as well," Tiga replied, "We'll be more than willing to help you with your injured relatives, so come with us and we'll get you back there in less than a day."

* * *

Just as Raine and Lloyd departed Sybak for the military base just northwest of Mizuho, Gil also left his home for the Iselia airport. After the successful mission with implanting the Exsphere into Lynn, Forcystus sent him to Tethe'alla for the next week or so, mainly to help Rodyle, their Tethe'alla associate. Oddly enough, Forcystus decided to send only Gil, as nobody was to go on the trip with him.

But here he was, catching a red-eye flight to Meltokio, with another connection to Exire, the former city in the sky, grounded shortly after the reunification of the worlds. It was a story that Anna had told him before, and one that Gil was still fascinated with even today. He recalled how Exire was a city that was created to levitate due to half-elves wanting a place where they did not face persecution. Using some special technique unfamiliar to most people today, it lifted the entire city into the air.

It also made Gil return to the novel he was reading. Again, it was the one that Anna wrote ten years ago, and he could not help but find similarities between the city and the book. "Half-elves lifted the city into the sky to get a sense of utopia, and some could say that they're just running away from their problems," Gil muttered to himself, "But our female protagonist Olivia chose to face her issues head on, getting it from her admirers, her peers, and even her husband. It really makes me wonder whether seeking utopia and facing dystopia are mutually exclusive, or somewhat complementary."

As he flipped the page, he reached one of his favourite chapters, one involving the male protagonist Lionel trying to seek love from Olivia. Throughout the earlier parts of the novel, Lionel showed everyone why he was truly a protégé, ready to step up and be a leader in the future generation. Young, confident, and filled to the brim with talent, he was by far the most skilled shooter in the hunting party, as well as being the most read and knowledgeable guest in the nobleman's mansion.

Despite getting a high number of admirers, his eyes were only on Olivia, a woman around his age who was already married to an older man and had bore two children with him. In his attempts to woo her, Lionel had resorted to showing his ethics and morality, claiming that should he be in a leader in the new generation, he would rid the world of hypocrisy. That line always made Gil chuckle, as the only way Lionel would get Olivia would be to practice hypocrisy. Olivia would have to either betray her husband, or abandon teaching her kids, just to be with Lionel. "She's not going to do it," Gil murmured.

But Gil also saw how Lionel's idealism got through to Olivia, as in chapters that did not feature Lionel, the mother of two wasted no time in teaching Lionel's good traits and morals to her children. "I bet you had Lloyd in mind when you were writing this part, Anna," Gil commented. It was interesting to Gil that Anna had Olivia rely on the next generation to change the world as well, but instead of using Lionel's idealistic method, she chose to approach this problem as a realist, taking small steps and teaching her children one day at a time to become productive members of a future society.

Speaking of Lloyd, Gil could not help but think back to his son. The brash and somewhat headstrong attitude Lloyd portrayed was eerily similar to Lionel, so much so that Gil felt Anna might have been trying to predict what Lloyd was going to grow up to become. Yet at the same time, Anna did say she based Lionel's character traits off of the original Lloyd Irving, the leader of the reunification group, and also Lloyd's namesake. Was it an unspoken wish of Anna's that Gil was to raise Lloyd to be a heroic character when he grew up? But how about the so-called controversies that Anna mentioned the hero had gotten into after reunification that somewhat tarnished his reputation?

All those thoughts were wiped away as the light for the seat-belt sign flashed on. The pilot had informed the passengers over the intercom that the plane was to descend and land in Meltokio within the next few minutes. Sighing, Gil bookmarked the novel and put it back into his bag. Pulling his seat straight, he buckled himself up and waited for the landing. Somehow, the novel was telling him things that were happening in the past, but were still very applicable to today's situation. "Looks like there'll always be more questions than answers, at least for now," he murmured, "But I better deal with Rodyle first before I can move on to thinking about anything else."

* * *

It was nearing sunset at Triet as a large military aircraft approached the Triet army base. After an agonizingly long flight from halfway across the world, Lloyd and Raine were touched down in Sylvarant. As the plane made its landing and stopped onto the tarmac of the military base, Lloyd and Raine were escorted out and into waiting vehicles, which sped out onto the highway, heading straight for the hospital.

During this time, not a word was spoken, creating a very tense atmosphere. Although Tiga and Sheena both assured them that the military would be there to protect them should there be danger, and even offered to come along to the hospital, it did not offer them any comfort. This was especially true for Raine, who was definitely worried for the safety of both her brother and her grandmother.

Finally, the escort reached the hospital, and Raine shot out of the car like a rocket. She did not even bother waiting for Lloyd and Sheena, choosing to go straight to the receptionist instead and demanding for the location where they kept her relatives. By the time Lloyd and Sheena caught up to her, she was already at the elevator. "Raine, wait up, don't forget that we're part of your group," Lloyd panted as they entered the elevator.

When they reached their destination, Raine bolted for the room they kept Lynn. "Room 420, I've got to find it," she murmured to herself. Lloyd and Sheena followed closely, hurrying through the hallways and dodging the medical equipment lying around. As they manoeuvred their way around a hospital bed in the hallway, Lloyd and Sheena could see Raine duck into a room. Realizing that this was probably it, they nodded to each other and slowly entered, prepared for whatever result would come their way.

But oddly enough, for such a horrific incident, the scene in the room was rather peaceful. Lynn was hooked up to a respirator, resting and breathing comfortably, while Genis sat on a chair next to the bed, his back slouched over due to the extreme exhaustion he faced for the last day. He had a cup of water hanging loosely from his hand, and there were some bandages on various parts of his body, but otherwise he seemed fine. "Hey, how are you doing?" Lloyd asked gently as Raine checked on her little brother's wounds.

"I'm okay. Some areas still hurt quite a bit, but they say I should recover properly. I didn't really require staying overnight for treatment, so I came over here to keep an eye on Grandma," Genis explained, wincing as Raine prodded and rubbed some bandages.

"How's Grandma? What did they do to her? And what did the doctors say about her?" Raine asked, as she shot back onto her feet like a spring.

"They say she got some weird thing implanted into her hand, and they've taken samples for the lab to study. Mrs. Brunel said she knew something about this when she dropped by, so she's trying to see if she could talk to the doctors. She mentioned that it was similar to the one Colette got on her sternum back in Hima," Genis described.

Lloyd and Raine looked at each other, shaking their heads in disgust. It was obvious that Gil was behind this, which only made Lloyd angrier. "My dad has really gone too far this time. He's going to get it the next time I see him," he spat bitterly.

Oddly enough, Raine did not bother to tell Lloyd to calm down; rather, she nodded her head in agreement. "I think it's time we start taking action against Cruxis, however we can," she decided. Still in the chair, Genis could only stare in shock.

But before another word was said, Tiga stepped into the room, followed closely by Phoebe Brunel, who had visited Lynn and Genis earlier. "I was on my way up when I ran into Mrs. Brunel here, and she told me a bit about your condition," he informed the group, "I definitely think that it's no longer safe for anyone of you to be here in Iselia, given the fact that Cruxis has a bigger foothold in the city than I originally thought."

"What do you suggest then? I mean, it's obvious that Cruxis is taking action, but we can't just take her out of the hospital and into hiding, especially not when she's in this condition," Genis retorted. Standing beside him, Lloyd nodded in agreement.

Tiga crossed his arms and stared at the ground in deep thought. The group looked on as Tiga could be seen mumbling something to himself, his eyes boring a hole into the floor. A few long minutes ticked by before he finally gave the group an option. "We could do the next best thing for everyone, and that is to have you evacuated to Tethe'alla, whether it is the hospital at the military base, or into Mizuho altogether," he suggested.

The group stared at him suspiciously. Although Tiga had a point, they were reluctant to relocate, as none of them were sure of the expectations in Tethe'alla. Besides, didn't Tiga say that Cruxis was also active in that region? What if they were to be attacked again, this time by an even bigger force?

But after a quick discussion, the consensus was to move. "I'm not sure if that may be the best option, but I don't think we have much of a choice," Raine decided, "Given that the military is involved, it's best we go somewhere with the most protection." Turning to Sheena, she requested, "We'll leave it in your hands to help us around in Mizuho."

Sheena nodded, agreeing to their decision. "Tiga and I will see if we can work out something to transport your grandma to Mizuho safely," she assured Raine and Genis.

"Wait, what about Colette?" Phoebe asked, "She has an implant as well, and her condition isn't exactly top-notch. Will you work something out for her as well?"

"So there are now two people with a life threatening condition that we have to deal with?" Tiga asked, bewildered.

But Phoebe persisted, causing Tiga to glance nervously at Sheena. Somehow, deep inside, they knew that Cruxis definitely had an upper hand in this battle.

* * *

After consulting with Frank and Colette, it was decided by all that they would be moved to Mizuho for the time being, or at least until they were cured of the implanted Exsphere. Tiga managed to convince the Tethe'alla military that this mission was of utmost importance to national security, as it signified the type of power that Cruxis had in their hands, and the fact that many lives were potentially threatened. It was decided that they were to leave the day after. "It's the real deal, gentlemen," he warned his superiors over the phone, "We have to be ready."

As everyone packed their bags, Lloyd decided to pay Colette another visit. Seeing that she was still weak, he wanted to drop by to see what he could do to help her out. But, as usual, Colette was the first to reject any notion of being weak. "Really, Lloyd, I'm fine. There's nothing you should be worried about," she insisted.

Lloyd sighed. And here Lloyd thought he was stubborn when he was younger, Colette seemed to be taking the cake. "You know, it's not good for you to keep moving like this. They had Mrs. Sage basically strapped to a stretcher when they moved her out of the hospital," Lloyd pointed out.

Colette tried to persist, but it was obvious that she still did not have the energy to do heavy lifting. Within seconds of bringing her suitcase down from the bed, her body gave way, dropping the suitcase horizontally onto the floor. Colette herself soon followed suit, taking a tumble of her own. But fortunately, Lloyd was there to support her, as he wrapped his arm around her body to break her fall. "You okay?" Lloyd asked.

At this time, their faces were merely inches apart, and again, that strange feeling began to creep up on both sides. Throughout Colette's strange and life-threatening illness, Lloyd had been very supportive of her, going around the world to find a cure, and giving her any emotional support possible. There was a new type of bond forming between the two, one that prompted both sides to re-examine their long friendship. As they gazed into each other's eyes, it was like trying to see inside their souls.

"Lloyd, Colette, what's taking so long? It's time to go!" Frank called from downstairs. That caused the two to break up the strange hold, both sides avoiding each other's gaze, hoping the other would not notice the red tint across their respective faces.

Then, breaking the awkward silence, Lloyd grabbed a hold of Colette's suitcase. Colette tried to protest, but Lloyd hushed her up. "No more talking. I said I'll help you with this, and I will," Lloyd insisted. Gently picking up Colette's right hand with his left, he slowly led her down the stairs. Gingerly, she stepped out of the house, and into the waiting vehicles, which would take them to the Triet military base.

By the time they reached the base, the plane was all ready for boarding. Medical personnel entered the craft, all the while slowly lifting the stretcher holding the weakened Lynn Sage on board. Upon a closer look, Lloyd could see that Lynn was strapped tight into the stretcher, still awake and talking but wrapped neatly like a sarcophagus. Genis and Raine were just to the side, patiently waiting for their turn to board, but still very concerned about the health and safety of their grandmother.

The sight of Lynn being loaded onto the plane reminded Lloyd of Colette, who had to be helped onto the plane as well. Turning around, he could see Frank and Phoebe dealing with their luggage, while Sheena was a distance away still speaking with Tiga. Stepping forward, Lloyd gently gabbed Colette's hand and slowly guided her forward. "Are you still doing okay?" Lloyd asked gently.

Colette nodded and smiled, grateful for her friend's assistance. They slowly marched towards the plane, trudging up the ramp for the entrance. They only needed to wait a few more minutes for everyone else to board, and when Sheena came in, the ramp was removed and the door was closed. The plane was ready to take off.

At this time, Tiga turned to Lloyd and asked a question. "Your father does not seem to be around, but I still managed to convince the military to let you travel as a minor. I assume that it has to do with what you mentioned back at the hospital room," Tiga brought his eyes to Lloyd's level, "I'm aware that must have hit you hard, knowing that your father was part of Cruxis, but the only way we can help is if you start talking."

Lloyd sighed. This was not something he was proud of, given the fact that his father was a fugitive and a wanted man. But that being said, it was also a chance for him to make a difference in their precarious situation, and a chance for him to right some of the wrongs that his father had brought upon everyone. "I guess all I can say is that I never really observed everyone and everything until now. I've always been the guy under the radar, hoping to barely pass at anything and not bring any attention upon myself. But little did I know that someone living under the same roof as I am would be doing all this harm to everyone," Lloyd admitted.

"So when did you start noticing that your father was, perhaps, acting unusual? Or did you overhear anything he mentioned about Cruxis at all?" Tiga asked with interest.

"I guess the first time I realized something was ten years ago, when my mother died. Dad was an officer in the unit investigating the case, and he took it exceptionally hard. Not long after, Dr. Brunel and Mrs. Sage were at our house, and I overheard them talking. I was only six at that time, so I didn't remember much, but I did recall him saying that he's quitting the police force and taking up a new position, and that he had to travel quite a bit," Lloyd explained, "The rest is history, with him being in and out of town for the next seven years, and me being taken care of by the Brunels and the Sages. It wasn't until about three or four years ago when he returned to Iselia for good."

"So for the time when he was in Iselia, especially around the last four years, had there been anything done at all?" Tiga continued to probe Lloyd.

"Not until recently. In fact, I thought we were starting to mend some fences when he started opening himself up to me. But I guess it's all for naught, as his loyalty still lies in Cruxis." Turning to Tiga, it was his turn to ask a question, "Did you know why exactly it is that Cruxis was formed? I mean, we're talking about an extremist organization here."

The plane started taxiing to the runway as Tiga answered the question. "I think your friend Raine put it best, as there are always groups on the extreme ends of the spectrum that did not appreciate any effort to make their lives better. It's been like that for many years, and if you go to Mizuho, the hometown for Sheena and me, you will find information on this struggle between those wanting change and those who resist change, especially during and even after the reunification of the worlds. It's a never-ending cycle as to how these groups battle to achieve their objectives."

"But hasn't there ever been anyone who successfully found something that can work for everyone? There has to be a way for everyone to have a fair and equal shot in this world," Lloyd challenged, undaunted by the historical facts.

Tiga chuckled. "That question has been sought after by many groups in history, and it takes a real idealist to truly pursue this matter. I definitely see some aspects of the reunification heroes in you, and I truly believe your burning passion and dedication will lead you very far. But you also have to realize that there are contradictions in society that make a true utopia very impractical, if not impossible to develop," he described to Lloyd.

Lloyd cocked an eyebrow, somewhat surprised at what Tiga referred to. "But if someone doesn't have that ambition, then no action would be taken. I may not be one of the ancient heroes, but it doesn't mean I can't find or carve my own path to a solution, right?"

Tiga shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not," he replied, "All I know is that it's difficult to create a new world order that can satisfy everyone. The original heroes, when they first started, were faced with converting a crowd that was very hostile towards any type of change. At that time, the heroes were considered radicals. Today, Cruxis is against the established order that the reunification group had laid the foundation for, and that would mean these heroes, in this extremist group's mind, are the true villains. Once you start putting perspective into play, you'll realize that the world is no longer black and white."

Lloyd winced. "It's really hard to wrap my head around it now that you think about it. That's like saying the good guys aren't always good, and the bad guys aren't always bad. But whatever the case, I'm still committed to what I'm doing, even though it's going to feel like pulling teeth," he decided, still a bit unsure.

Just at this moment, the pilots announced that they were ready for take-off, and electronic devices should not be used for the moment. Pouncing on his last opportunity, Tiga whipped out his cell phone and typed a short text message. "Whatever the case, I assure you that I, along with Sheena and others from Mizuho, will do everything in our power to help your friends find a cure. And while we're at it, we'll also keep an eye on Cruxis in Tethe'alla, and maybe your father as well. It seems to me that your father does have some power and influence in Cruxis, given his long tenure. And since he cannot be found in Sylvarant, he may have gone to Cruxis' Tethe'alla branch," he explained. And just as he sent the text message, the roar of the engines could be heard. Within minutes, the group was airborne and headed to Mizuho.

* * *

And just as the large military aircraft took off, Gil's second flight finally landed in Exire. The former city in the sky, isolated from the world with only a handful of people living in it, it was now a booming city, well on its way to being accepted into the world. Gil took a look at the new surroundings, mulling over the prospects of having to work with Rodyle. He had met the man a few times before, but had no actual experience of collaborating with him, meaning he had no idea what was in store.

That being said, Forcystus seemed to have a lot of faith in Rodyle, opting to keep him around even after getting rid of Magnius and Kvar. And given that Forcystus had sent him, one of the higher ranking members in Iselia, to help out, Gil realized that this was crucial. He hailed a taxi and gave the driver the address to Rodyle's headquarters, opting to check in with Rodyle before finding somewhere to stay. Gil did not even bother to see the sights of Exire, opting to get some rest before getting to Rodyle.

After a half-hour drive, Gil could feel the cab stop. "We're here, sir," the driver announced from the front. Groggily, Gil woke up and paid the driver, thanking him for the trip before getting out of the cab. The surroundings were quite dark, and it did not help that Gil was suffering from jetlag. He squinted to get a good look at the building before him, and could see that it was another structure in the industrial sector of town.

Gil slowly pushed on the door, a loud creek sounded as it was pushed. This was followed by a low groan, as Gil tried to close it behind him. He slowly made his way through the halls, surveying the scene. Oddly, there were not too many people in the headquarters, probably due to the late hour, but the area was uncomfortably quiet. Perhaps Rodyle was having a meeting in his office? Gil was determined to find out.

As Gil rounded into the hallway that led to Rodyle's office, a strange chatter caught his attention. Standing before him was a red-haired man, talking non-stop on a cell phone and using some flirtatious language. "Don't worry, hunny, I'll be around. I'll always have you and your perfect body in my mind, and when I come back, we will…"

And that was too much for Gil to hear. Is he some male prostitute? Gil thought to himself. Immediately, he marched forward to Rodyle's office, hoping to escape the words that made his ears bleed. But as his moved, he realized his extreme lack of judgment. The red-head was standing right in the hallway, blocking any progress whatsoever going in.

Undaunted, Gil tried the old fashion technique. Stepping up to the red-haired man, he gently tapped his shoulder. "Excuse me, I want to get through, please?" Gil requested.

At this time, the red-head straightened up from his lean on the wall. Gil could see that this individual was quite tall, as they were at eye level with each other. Gil stood at six-foot-one, so he guessed that the red-head about six feet tall, give or take an inch. "Sorry, I'm not interested in guys. You want to scram?" the redhead snapped at Gil.

Gil was dumbfounded. Obviously this person had no idea what was going on, and was way more obsessed with whatever girl he was speaking with than Gil. Sighing, Gil whipped out his cell phone and decided to try a new trick. When he was at Iselia a while back, he found out how to download songs into his cell phone as a ring tone. Although he was no fan of hard rock, he had downloaded Lloyd's favourite song. Who knew it would come in handy here? He selected the song from the phone and, upon cranking the volume up, put it right next to the ear of the red head, and blared it into his face.

That caused the strange man to jerk sideways, away from the source and nearly dropping his phone. "What's the deal?" he demanded as Gil turned off the music.

"You're the one who blocked my way, so I decided to take matters in my own hands. What's wrong with that?" Gil retorted defiantly. The redhead continued to gape at the former police officer as he marched through to the room at the end of the hallway.

"You must be Gil," a purple-haired man with dark, tiny spectacles greeted him as he entered, "Forcystus told me that you'd come, so let's get this meeting started."

Gil took a seat across from Rodyle, with a bald, heavyset man sitting to Gil's left. "This is Vharley, my second-in-command. Like yourself, he's a human with long tenure in Cruxis, and he'll lead the production and distribution of Exspheres at our next plan."

"It is good business, knowing that there'll be lots of money involved. Since we hold the key to controlling the production, similar groups are going to beg us to let them in, and think of all the dough we'll rake in," Vharley stated in a gruff voice.

Rodyle nodded, a sinister smile creeping across his face. As the Cruxis leader elaborated, Gil could not take his mind off the possibilities linking Rodyle's plan to make Exspheres with Forcystus and other Cruxis leaders' plans to invade areas with large amounts of mana. What can possibly bring these two factors together, he thought.

Just as he mulled this over, something Rodyle said shifted his attention back. "We will still proceed with the most important step, which is to get our biggest weapon on track, and for that I'll require Gil's help," he explained, turning to the undercover police officer, "You won't be doing this alone either, as I'll be bringing in another human to help you."

While Rodyle stepped out to fetch said human, Gil and Vharley glared at each other, neither saying a word. Both sides knew that, being one of the only humans to last this long in a half-elf extremist organization, they must have used back-handed tactics and manipulation. It was obvious from their expressions that they did not trust each other, and would not fare well working with each other, should Rodyle resort to that tactic.

But that thought was erased as Rodyle stepped back into the room. "Gil Irving, I'd like you to meet Zelos Wilder, who you'll be working with for the next little while." As Gil looked up, his jaw nearly hit the floor. Standing next to the purple-haired half-elf was a tall red-haired man, the same one Gil had encountered outside in the hall.

* * *

That ending was for **Fenrir of the Shadows,** who, a few chapters back, was wondering where Zelos was. Again, his role is not going to be obvious to you at first, but I'll slowly reveal more along the way. Keep reading and reviewing, thanks!


	20. The Cold War

Reviews came from **I.K.A. Valian** and **Gijinka Renamon.** As promised, there will be more characters from TOS being revealed in this chapter, and Zelos challenges Gil into a "Cold War". Buckle up and hang on to your hats!

Namce owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

"Lloyd, wake up, we're about to land," Tiga gently shook the spiky-haired teen seated next to him. Lloyd shook his head groggily and took a look around. It was evident that the passengers of the plane were suffering from jetlag, but especially Raine, who had been flying back and forth with him for the last few days.

Turning around, he could see Tiga wake each person up, preparing updating them on the situation where the Tethe'alla military would board and check everyone's identification before letting them off. "If my sources are correct, then most likely you'll be classified as refugees, and would be granted asylum for a short period of time, or at least until we sort out the whole deal with Cruxis," he informed the group.

As Tiga returned to his seat, he could not help but turn back to Lloyd, who was still trying to stay awake by rubbing his eyes. "Are you doing okay?" Tiga asked.

Lloyd nodded. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Just give me a good night's rest and I'll be back in no time. We got to search for a cure, remember?" Lloyd responded, trying his best to sound determined. It was fruitless though, as his expression betrayed his tone perfectly.

Tiga put a hand on Lloyd's shoulder. "It's not just you that the pressure is on. We from Mizuho plan to continue with our quest to gather spirit stones as well. Don't forget that there are four summon spirits in Tethe'alla, and the fact that only three stones were collected from Sylvarant as well," he informed Lloyd.

Lloyd was confused. Why would Tethe'alla ask Sheena to collect summon spirits for them? Sure it made some sense to choose someone from Mizuho, a land famous for its summoners, but wouldn't it be more effective to collect the spirits directly? Somehow, there was more to it than that met the eye, and Lloyd made a mental note to confront Sheena with this later on.

But for the time being, he decided to worry about getting some rest. He pulled himself into an upright position as the plane descended into the Mizuho military base. All the while, he still had Cruxis in mind, wondering if there might be another hijack at any of the Tethe'alla summon spirit locations, and whether his father might be involved in any of them. Deep down inside, he still hoped that Gil would come back over to their side and abandon his mad quest with Cruxis, but he highly doubted that this change would be peaceful, meaning there was bound to be future confrontations.

As the plane grinded to a halt on the tarmac, the Tethe'alla military boarded and asked everyone to present their identification. After a short wait, they were all cleared to go. Lloyd remained a bit nervous, knowing his father's present condition as a fugitive and a potentially dangerous character, but the army did not press him for the issues. Stepping into the vehicles, he leaned his head back and rested as they unloaded luggage from the plane. For the next little while, Mizuho would be their home, and Lloyd was both anxious and nervous, wondering what was going to happen next.

* * *

"Who gave you permission to tag along anyway?" Gil snapped angrily at Zelos. They had just been given their first assignment, which was to help Vharley ship a bunch of minerals from the mines needed to make Exspheres into Exire. Oddly enough, Rodyle happened to have assigned both Gil and Zelos to go with Vharley, making all three men very uncomfortable. Vharley was uncomfortable because he was suspicious of Gil, but Gil and Zelos were more uncomfortable with each other's presence.

"Hey, my job is to monitor you, and make sure you're doing what has to be done. So if you don't like it, complain to Rodyle," Zelos shot back. The statement was partially true, as Rodyle was concerned with Forcystus' top man, a human, being part of his branch for a while. Although Rodyle had Vharley as his second in command, he still had reservations about having a human as such a high-ranking Cruxis member.

To ensure that Gil was not trying to usurp Rodyle's position, and perhaps to cause some friction between the three humans so that the half-elves would gain an advantage, Gil had been placed on a mission with Vharley, all the while with Zelos on his back. That did not please Gil a lot, as he was the usual watcher, but now he was being watched.

"Hey, you two, stop bickering like an old married couple and start helping me with this stuff," Vharley shouted from inside the mine. Still glaring at each other, Gil and Zelos marched towards the mine entrance. Hearing from the half-elves around them, it was evident to Gil that the mine was operational about a decade back, as the minerals and ores for making Exspheres were also an alternative fuel of some sort that was not very commonly used. When demand was low in recent years, the mine was abandoned, but Vharley was able to use some of his connections to get inside to get his much desired ores to achieve Rodyle's objective. Provided Rodyle paid him handsomely, Gil supposed.

Gil glanced back at Zelos, who was right behind him as they entered the mine. Zelos was not going to be the only obstacle for them as they continued on this mission. Deep inside the mine, there was relatively poor phone connection, meaning he could not contact the outside world very well. It would be a huge disadvantage for Gil as to how he would contact the authorities, as any call would likely come from after they exited.

Sighing, Gil continued venturing his way into the deepest parts. Around him, there was a dim, muggy feeling as a mix of cold and humidity descended upon his body. Gil tried to get a look around, and could only see shadows and silhouettes of old machinery that had not been used in years, if not decades. A distance away, Gil could hear the slow dripping of water, the liquid slowly eroding away at the cave. It was an eerie reminder of his life, as the constant conflicts and need to hide identity slowly ate away at both his outside armour and inside mentality.

Gil was snapped out of his thoughts as the group of people had stopped moving. Before them was a set of crates and barrels, all to be lifted out of the cave and into the trucks, heading straight for Exire. "Alright folks, let's get started," Vharley ordered, "The sooner we get these out of here, the better."

Sighing, Gil and Zelos stepped up to help them ship the crates out. "Someone sure took their time to pack all these in an orderly manner," he commented as they slowly set up the conveyor belt, hooking it onto an old generator from the mine.

"We've actually been targeting this area for the last two or three years now. In fact, it was Zelos here that pointed out such a significant area for us to mine," Vharley explained, pointed at the redhead, "We took a while to reset all the old mining equipment and got them all going. It's only now that we've gotten enough for our project, so we got some people in to start packing them and we're finally ready to ship them out today."

"See? Some people here appreciate my talent and skills, and want to have me around helping them, unlike others who choose to gripe," Zelos pointed out with an arrogant smirk, taking a cheap shot at Gil.

Gil growled, angry that Zelos had scored a point. But calming himself down, he decided to penetrate Zelos' lapse in judgment, and tried to pry more information out of him. "So is it also your idea to have that many ores mined, so that Rodyle can mass-produce Exspheres or something?" he asked, looking sideways at Zelos.

Zelos still had that arrogant smirk on his face. "You know what? I think Forcystus is getting really nervous, as he probably realized that Rodyle had the power in his hands, and could topple him anytime," Zelos chirped to Vharley, who chuckled in return. Turning back to Gil, he replied, "This is the key to Rodyle's secret weapon, one that would allow Cruxis to gain its means in whatever way possible. Once he gets this thing set up, no one would be able to stop him, not even Forcystus. So next time you call your boss, just tell him to get ready to submit to the demands of our leader."

Gil remained silent throughout the day, but was clearly unimpressed as they took their materials back to Exire. They had been together for a couple of days now, and Gil was nowhere closer to finding out what Rodyle had in mind for his "great invention". Knowing that time was of the essence, and that the fate of the world was in his hands, he tried every way possible to get more information, and, if possible, call Iselia.

But all efforts to do this were blocked off, as Zelos had capitalized on Vharley's attention, making it impossible for Gil to even get close. What's more, Zelos was placed in the same vehicle as Gil, while Vharley had gone to the front vehicle. With Zelos close by and keeping an eye on him, Gil felt awfully uncomfortable. Slouched over in his seat, he nervously flipped his cell phone open and close, all the while taking quick glances at Zelos. If one were to look right through the windshield and into the back, it would be a perfect contrast between the two. Zelos was sitting proud and tall, with perfect facial features and wearing brightly coloured clothing. Gil was bent over, wearing his typical dark jacket and his hair and goatee both in a mess.

But just as Gil thought he had no chance, his fortunes changed. Zelos' cell phone rang, and of all the people it could be, it was one of his so-called admirers again. It caused the redhead to go into flirtation mode and taking all attention off Gil. Realizing that he had only one chance, Gil turned away from Zelos and flipped his phone open. Placing it at his lap's level and against the side door of the car, he started typing in a text message.

"Hunny, hunny, listen, I can't be in two places at once. It would require splitting this beautiful body in half…" Zelos continued rambling on his phone. Gil shook his head in disgust as he continued typing, wondering how Zelos could keep up this amazing display of flirtatious behaviour for so long. Meanwhile, he kept pecking away at his keypad, hoping that Marshall or Noishe would receive this message.

But suddenly, Zelos changed topics and was trying to end his conversation with the girl. "Look hunny, I got to go now. I may be handsome and talented, but I can only be away from my job for so long. You don't want me to get fired, do you?" Zelos teased.

Gil's heart skipped a bit, as he was still not finished his message. Taking another glance at Zelos, who was in the middle of saying his goodbyes, Gil typed quickly, not even worrying that he might have made some spelling errors. Just as Zelos hung up his call, Gil pressed send on his phone, and slowly waited for the message to get to the target.

As he kept waiting, Zelos turned around and caught Gil with his phone. "Making a call? Or typing a text message to someone?" he asked, that arrogant smirk making Gil awfully annoyed and uncomfortable.

Gil nodded. "Just my son, that's all. I'm just making sure he's okay," Gil replied nervously. Finally, when the phone confirmed that the message had been successfully sent, Gil breathed out a long sigh of relief. Glancing back at Zelos, he tried to read the redhead's reaction, seeing if he had found out anything.

But for such a narcissist, Zelos could prove to be difficult to read when serious. Instead of some snide remark, Zelos merely nodded. "I've heard a bit about your son from some Iselia Cruxis members that came over. His name is Lloyd, isn't it?" he asked.

Gil nodded nervously, noticing that Zelos was observing him the way he usually observed people. Well, two can play this game, Gil thought. If it's a Cold War Zelos wanted, then it's a Cold War he would get. The undercover police officer was ready to play secretive against the redhead, knowing that the loser would likely lose his life.

* * *

"Yes, it was caught in an explosion…By what? All I can say is that it was some ancient magi-technology…what do you mean you don't understand? Just read a history book then!" Lloyd angrily slapped his cell phone shut, after the insurance company gave Lloyd a call with regards to his MINI Cooper. It was evident that the insurance company had no idea what magi-technology was, and needed further elaboration from the report that Lloyd filled out shortly after Forcystus shot his car.

But for Lloyd, there were much bigger issues at hand, as much as he would love to get reimbursed for his car. Right now, they were at a branch of the military in the town of Mizuho, and Tiga had everyone recruited into the main meeting room for a conference with a retired general, who was related to Sheena in some way, or so Lloyd had heard. Stuffing his phone back into his pocket, he made his way back into the room, giving Colette and Lynn a nervous smile as they were wheeled in on wheelchairs and parked just next to the door. Spotting Sheena, he made his way to the front, sitting right next to her.

Sheena did not expect Lloyd to approach her, but guessing that Lloyd was somewhat nervous due to the fact that the military had asked Raine and him to update them on what they had found out, and cooperate with them in their mission to stop Cruxis overall, she decided to try calming his nerves. "Relax, Lloyd. Remember that we have to do this in order to save the world. When I was first recruited, how did you think I felt? But I still tried to work through it, and I'm still doing okay," she soothed.

But instead of reacting positively, Lloyd shot back at Sheena with a question of his own. "Speaking of being approached by the military, why did they choose you when the military itself could have trained a summoner? Why did it have to be you that went around the world collecting the summoning spirits? Wouldn't it be dangerous to throw a civilian into this mix?"

Sheena was dumbfounded, as she did not expect Lloyd to ask such a question. She wanted to tell the truth to make up for misleading Raine and company earlier, but realized that it might reveal too much. "All I'll say is that whatever it is that you want to know, I'm sure you can ask Tiga and the rest of them," she merely stated.

Just as Lloyd was about to press, Tiga stepped to the front and began introducing people from the military. He first turned to an elderly man seated at the table. "This is Igaguri Fujibyashi, a retired general of the Tethe'alla military and the top military expert in Mizuho. He'll be joining us to provide any advice or expertise on this current military mission, which is of utmost importance to the national security of both our nations."

Upon hearing the former general's surname, Lloyd turned to Sheena, who replied with a slight nod. "That's right, he's my grandfather," she stated quietly, "That's why I was recruited by the military to help out in this mission."

Lloyd nodded, finally beginning to understand the situation as Tiga turned to a younger man. He was taller and had a muscular build, with a strange hairstyle that had most hair from the side of his head spiked upwards. Lloyd swore that if they were made of bone instead of keratin, this man would have the devil's horns. "This here is the general and chief commander of the Tethe'alla military forces, General Botta," Tiga introduced, "He will be in charge of all the missions and their status in the following while, and will also be in communication with the lead research facilities in Altamira."

At this time, Tiga stepped aside and let Botta take the stage. The general organized his notes on the platform, and began in a calm but strong tone. "These are very dangerous times here, as the extremist group of interest, Cruxis, is making some moves that may be damaging to national security. For the last three years, we have been keeping an eye on them, but today, we can truly say that we must put an end to their actions."

As Botta continued to drone on about the information that they had discovered for the last few years, Lloyd turned back to Sheena again. "So it's truly a case of history repeating itself again, isn't it?" he murmured, "Whoever that has the mana has the power to the world, and you guys are trying to beat Cruxis to it, right?"

Sheena nodded. "Don't forget that Cruxis has intellectuals and researchers in their organization themselves, some of which are from recognized institutions such as private research centres like the one in Altamira, and universities. Also, don't forget your dad," Sheena whispered, "You put all those things together and this organization can only increase in strength. What must be done is attacking its roots, to ensure that no more people can be manipulated into joining them again."

After a few minutes, Lloyd began to get bored. Although this was important to the security of the world, and that his information would be necessary to make this mission successful, General Botta's discussion sounded more like a typical history lecture at his school. He could feel his eyelids becoming heavier, and his head drooping lower. He shook his head a few times to keep awake, but to no avail. Botta's announcement that they would be summoning people who have information to present was nothing but a blur to Lloyd, as his head was almost onto his lap, his body slowly surrendering to the sleep.

Luckily, Sheena was there to wake him up, giving the teen's shoulder a violent shake as he was summoned by the panel. Taking a seat before them, he rubbed his eyes and shook his head, trying to stay awake. It did not help that the lights were positioned in such a way that it created a spotlight on him, making him even more uncomfortable.

"Lloyd Irving, from Iselia, Sylvarant, is it?" General Botta began, "Well, I'm not one to beat around the bush, so we might as well get down to the point. What information of Cruxis do you have for us that may help us?"

Well, might as well get it over with, Lloyd thought to himself. Taking a deep breath, he began telling his story. He described how, ten years ago, his father had quit the Iselia Police Department to join a new group, which was unknown to Lloyd at the time. He also mentioned that his father was not always at home for the following seven years, and had "business" in Asgard and Palmacosta, two cities where Cruxis had branches established. Lastly, he described every possible encounter he had with Cruxis over the summer, including the two at the Thoda Geyser and the Balacruf Mausoleum, and the recent implantations of Exspheres into Colette and Lynn.

The panel listened with interest, nodding slightly as they took notes. By the time Lloyd was finished, they had clear questions ready for him. "You said it was revealed with time that your father was behind most of the Cruxis actions within the last three years. Have there ever been observations that you made when you were with your father, whether it be at home or outdoors, that would indicate any specific details or motives with regards to those actions?" Botta asked, his eyes keying into Lloyd.

Lloyd cocked an eyebrow. What was that supposed to mean? Did he not explain all the details as completely as possible? "Uh, I'm not sure what you're referring to, but I can honestly say that my dad kept his Cruxis life pretty separate from his family life, if he had one. He never really told me about his work-related stuff, so I didn't really read into or pay attention to his Cruxis stuff either," he replied nervously.

Botta stared at him with a suspicious look. "You two live under the same roof, and you know nothing of what your father does? I find that shocking!" he spat, clearly unimpressed by Lloyd's account, "I hope you think harder to remember every detail here, since whatever you say could jeopardize national security," he demanded.

Lloyd was becoming flustered and frustrated at the general, but Botta pressed on, leaving both sides shoot death glares at each other in an odd staring match. Seeing the situation was leading nowhere, Igaguri intervened before things got out of hand. "In the interests of fairness to the witness, I think it's best if both sides calmed down. I've been in your chair before, General, and I assure you that most witnesses at these hearings don't feel too comfortable having a high-ranking military personnel breathing down their necks like that," he scolded. Turning to Lloyd, he took a much calmer approach. "Lloyd, despite all that, it would be in your best interests to rack your brain a bit harder than that. Please, start again and tell us if your father had ever revealed anything to you."

Lloyd took a deep breath and thought back. Until recently, there had been no real talk by his father of what he sought to accomplish, let alone true motives and such. "There has to be some, I know it," Lloyd murmured, racking his brain hard. It did not help that Botta had his eyes trained on Lloyd again, despite Igaguri's efforts to get him to calm down earlier. All this made him feel singled out and isolated, as his words could not convince the Tethe'alla military of the truth.

Suddenly, he figured it out. "Singled out, isolated, that's like the conversation he had when I first got back. I got it!" Lloyd exclaimed to the panel, "He mentioned about Cruxis making a difference, and considered that being actively engaged in Cruxis is more suitable to his goals than being a police officer."

The panel nodded, with Botta relaxing his facial expressions while Tiga scribbled furiously on his notepad. Igaguri gently probed him more, urging Lloyd to continue. "Then right after that, he said he recommended a person that he trusted with his life to me, and it happened to be one of his former colleagues in the police force. It was his former supervisor, Captain Arthur Noishe of the Major Crimes Department."

Igaguri gave Lloyd a reassuring smile, making Lloyd more relieved to know that he actually managed to help maintain the world's safety. Igaguri turned to Tiga, whispering something into his ear. Lloyd could see Tiga too had cracked a smile as he finished writing. Lastly, Igaguri turned to Botta. "Satisfied?" he asked the general.

Botta's expression remained the same, but nonetheless he nodded his head. "I guess we can move on to another witness then?" Igaguri asked in a nonchalant tone.

Lloyd smiled, his entire body relaxed. Somehow, with Igaguri's unorthodox interview style, his experience with the military panel just became more enjoyable.

* * *

"It's not a matter of whether we can get it done anymore. It's a matter of how safely we can do this without getting killed," Gil pointed out as he spoke on the phone with Chief Marshall. He finally found a place to stay, away from the Cruxis members, but especially Zelos, who had been eyeing him like a hawk for the entire day.

"Look, I understand your concerns, but the Tethe'alla military isn't really talking to me right now. I'm assuming some action has already been taken, but until then, the only thing you can do is to keep updating us on the current scenario," Marshall explained.

"If we keep sticking with the status quo, then I can assure you that sooner or later, Zelos will find out who I am. He will then tell Rodyle and Vharley, and they are going to kill me," Gil warned Marshall in a serious tone, "I know we can't pull out for now, but the status quo sure won't be working in the near future."

"I'm not your direct superior. I can keep pressuring both militaries and updating them, but until then, it's best that you talk to Captain Noishe," Marshall replied helplessly, "I'll forward you to him right now." With a soft click, Gil was put on hold.

During the short wait, a bunch of thoughts went through Gil's mind. Obviously, the Exspheres could control or alter mana, but it did not seem like Rodyle planned to use the batch they delivered for human implantation. So whatever he planned must have a large supply of mana, meaning it would be to gather them for use as fuel or maybe to use it directly, Gil thought. Either way, he knew it would be something dangerous, knowing what Forcystus did to Lloyd's car with just a smaller amount that could be hand held.

As he pondered this, Noishe picked up from the other line. "Gil, I heard from the chief that your cover is being threatened. What's the deal now?" he asked, concerned.

Gil sighed. "They're putting a Cruxis member on me for the time that I'm here, mainly because they're worried that Forcystus might be usurping power from him. I'm pretty sure they don't know about the police mole in Cruxis situation, but with so many backroom deals, you never know," Gil described, "What's the deal with my son?"

"Lloyd has gone to Tethe'alla trying to look for a cure with Colette, but ever since Lynn Sage was implanted, all of them have gone to Mizuho as refugees. It's likely that they have the military protecting them for the next little while, which should make searching for ingredients of the cure easier," Noishe explained.

Gil nodded. Perhaps Noishe was right, given that Lloyd had the determination to carry out his goals. It would be a trait that would come in handy, as a strong resolve was sometimes required to carry out certain deeds, as Anna's protagonists in her novel would show. But it would require a lot more than just blindly jumping into the fray in order to succeed in this complicated situation. "I'll see if I can keep an eye on him, just to make sure that Cruxis doesn't threaten the group anymore. But I'm assuming that they won't be coming to Exire, so they should be safe, at least for now," Gil stated.

"Alright, but my gut instinct tells me that Rodyle's version of Cruxis may be more intriguing than that meets the eye, given that he had so many humans in higher ranked positions. I won't rule out the possibility that he may have external informants, meaning his organization may have a wider network than anticipated." After wishing Gil good luck and reminding him to be careful, the two men ended the call.

* * *

Finally, the long and gruelling panel hearings by the military came to an end. Lloyd let out a small sigh of relief as he watched Tiga deliver his conclusions. A flurry of images went through his mind as Lloyd recounted the interviews and questioning each person had to go through. His eyes scanned across the room, landing on each interviewee and going through in his mind what they had revealed during the questioning.

His eyes first landed on Raine, seated in the middle of the conference room. Raine was asked by the panel on her role in the research project, and later on the search for a cure in Tethe'alla. But of most interest to the panel were her actions in Luin, when Lloyd, Colette, and Genis were taken hostage by Cruxis and Raine alerted the police. It was pointed out by both Lloyd and Raine that Sheena was offered to exchange with Cruxis for the threesome's safety, but the panel revealed that Sheena was with the military at that time, and it was in their plans to track Sheena, and take out Cruxis' Asgard branch. "Our special forces always had permission to take out criminals that transcend borders, so there was nothing to fear with regards to their safeties, but we did appreciate that you brought the Luin police, as they pretty much did the job for us," Botta commented.

"Well, before you take action next time, maybe you should consider that those were my friends that were captured, and I'm not leaving until they're all safe, especially my little brother," Raine snapped, showing Botta that she was unimpressed. Botta merely shrugged as Raine returned to her seat. At that time, Lloyd could only smirk.

Lloyd then put his eyes on the Brunels, seated in the far back corner of the room. Frank and Phoebe had been summoned by the panel right after Lloyd had finished, and the military grilled them on the activities of Cruxis and the attack on Colette. Frank was mainly examined on his research projects, starting with the one in Triet. As the main researcher in this topic, he actually had been observed by Tethe'alla spies for a while. It was also revealed by the military that at the Balacruf Mausoleum, they were involved in the operation to stop Cruxis. "It was in our interests that Cruxis did not attack another ruin," Botta explained, "Besides, we thought it may be served as a 'training exercise' of some sort for our forces should one of our ruins be attacked."

The panel then turned its attention to Phoebe, who described to them the medical condition that Colette was in. As a nurse, Phoebe managed to get physician colleagues of hers to analyze the Exsphere implanted into both Colette and Lynn. It was confirmed that it would do considerable harm to the body, but would affect Lynn more, due to her older age and frailer condition. "And that's why Lloyd and Raine went to find the cure, since it would be impossible for my husband or me to leave the house, with Cruxis threatening us and a sick daughter," she concluded. Lloyd genuinely sympathized with the Brunels, and he hoped the military would see it that way as well, but nothing on Botta's face showed that he reacted to it. What's with this guy, a heart of ice or something, Lloyd thought.

But speaking of sympathizing, he definitely felt for Sheena when she was brought to the panel. What she experienced was something quite out of the ordinary, as Lloyd glanced over to his side and saw the Mizuho native still somewhat shaken. When she was asked to come forward, initial questions seemed to be pretty ordinary, with her revealing her activities since meeting up with Frank, and her communications with the military at this time. There was not much that was new, as Raine pretty much updated everyone on the progress. But it was the end part that had Sheena all worked up, as the military panel asked her to continue on her work to gather the mana pieces, but preferably starting with the electric summon spirit Volt, located at the north region of Tethe'alla. "The sooner we eliminate a source of energy for Cruxis, the better, so we should really deal with Volt as early as possible," Botta decided. Upon hearing that, both Sheena and Igaguri froze.

Lloyd's attention would turn back onto the podium, as Tiga outlined what was to be done. "We will closely monitor the health of Lynn Sage and Colette Brunel, and ask Frank and Phoebe Brunel to stay relatively close to the military, as they are considered Cruxis targets. Raine Sage and Lloyd Irving may continue to search for a cure, provided that they inform the military of their whereabouts as often as possible. Sheena Fujibyashi will continue to gather the mana pieces until all eight are completed. They will then be used to safeguard against any Cruxis attack on the mana of this world. If there are no further questions, we will end our meeting right here," Tiga concluded.

As people began shuffling out, Lloyd turned to Sheena, who was still visibly disturbed. Lloyd offered to help her out, and when she did not object, he put his arm onto her shoulder and led her out. "Why were you so shocked when they mentioned that electric summon spirit thing?" Lloyd asked as he met up with the rest of the group. Clearly he was unhappy at the panel's tactics; it seemed like that they buttered Sheena up before pulling the rug out from under her feet.

Sheena merely shook her head, trying to divert attention from herself. But in typical Lloyd fashion, the brown-haired teen pressed on, causing his friends to look at Sheena worriedly as they waited for Sheena to answer. "It's not good to keep things to yourself, especially in this dangerous time," Lloyd pointed out.

Sheena looked up reluctantly at the crowd, feeling pressured to speak the truth. Sighing, she decided to slay her dragon and reveal her past. "Well, it's like this," she began as they moved off. But as they headed for the main exit, a hooded character slipped out of the conference room and exited through a side door. Slipping a tape recorder into his pocket, he had recorded everything that was said in that room, and had a very specific target as to who this tape was to be directed towards.

* * *

Thanks for your support, keep reading and reviewing!


	21. Inner Demons

**I.K.A. Valian **and** Fenrir of the Shadows** had the reviews. I just want to take the time to thank you guys for being such great supporters of this story. But at the same time I want to emphasize repeatedly NOT to give away too much. I know you guys have a lot of questions and suggestions, and I'm happy to address them, but you may inadvertently give away stuff by your comments and reviews. So next time, just watch out for that, ok?

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

Sheena sighed, knowing that there was no way Lloyd would let her leave the spotlight. Facing the group, she decided to tell the truth. "This happened thirty years ago, even before I was born. The Tethe'alla military, with the interests of securing energy for the country in mind, decided to see if they could summon Volt. My grandfather was the leader of the battalion that was to escort the summoner into the area…"

**Thirty years ago…**

_"Battalion to base, we have reached the Temple of Lightning. We have secured the entire area and will be going in…" one of the officers spoke into his speaker as military personnel scoured the area. Standing a short distance behind the group, Captain Igaguri Fujibyashi looked on as they paved the way for the summoner and her team to enter. Igaguri had been a military veteran now, having served with the Mizuho based for the last ten years. He was especially chosen for this mission due to his roots, as Mizuho was known for its expertise in summoning research._

_"All clear, no dangers present," one officer reported to Igaguri. Nodding, the captain then turned to his second-on-command, and ordered him to escort the summoning group into the temple._

_The sergeant barked out orders to the surrounding officers as his group inched forward. As the soldiers around them prepared for the operation, the sergeant turned to the summoner. "You sure you'll be alright honey?" he asked, concerned._

_The summoner nodded her head slightly. "Don't worry, I'll be fine, once we can get this done," she replied. It was also tense for the sergeant, as the summoner happened to be his wife, and her safety was also a priority for him._

_"I bet Orochi and Kuchinawa would be really proud of you if you can do this," the sergeant replied, referring to their two young children as they stepped inside. Indeed, Volt's area was a haven of electrical current, as the muggy feel and sizzling sounds of static resonated throughout the halls. The summoner slowly stepped up to the top, with her husband and assistants gathered at the bottom of the stairway. Taking a deep breath, she began to cite the ancient summoning lines._

_Just as she cited, Igaguri stepped into the room. "I've just gotten a report back from the base. There appears to be a thunderstorm approaching this area, and that may mean the electric mana levels may fluctuate. This might make our summon spirit a bit more agitated, so we should have our summoner be more careful," he reported._

_The sergeant nodded slightly. "I'll warn my wife the second she summons Volt. That way we'll know what we're dealing with," he replied, trying to appear calm. In reality, he was extremely worried, as the Mizuho archives showed that Volt was one of the more unpredictable summon spirits in Tethe'alla, speaking in an ancient language and had a fiery temper, meaning it was not uncommon to see him unleash electricity unsuspectingly. Now, given the thunderstorm, they were literally in a ticking time bomb._

_"Should we just abort the mission then?" one officer beside him asked, "Clearly it's not worth the risk to do it in a thunderstorm."_

_Igaguri looked at the sergeant. Although he was the captain, and had control of the battalion, he wanted a confirmation from his sergeant before making a final decision. Even from the pedestal, the summoner stopped her citation and turned around._

_But the sergeant waved his hand, urging them to go on. "I have faith in my wife," he insisted, "I'm sure we'll get through this. With your permission to proceed, Captain?"_

_Hesitantly, Igaguri nodded, signalling the soldiers to be in position as the summoner turned her attention back to the pedestal to finish her chant. The tension mounted heavily as everyone in the room anticipated what would happen next._

_Just at this time, the electric summon spirit materialized before them. It was Volt, a large ball with piercing eyes and fangs, with electric sparks and static surrounding him. One look at the summon spirit and the group knew that they were in for a challenge. "Volt, I am from the Tethe'alla military. I did not come here with the intention of harm or abusing your power. We merely wish to secure a new source of energy for our nation, and would require your assistance," the summoner announced nervously._

_There was silence for a few seconds, causing some in the chamber to shift nervously. No one dared to look up at the electric summon spirit, knowing what might be the result should they anger Volt. Then, after what seemed like an eternity, Volt finally replied, but it was in such an alien tongue and spoken in such a strange tone that nobody could hear or understand his words. "Can anybody decipher that?" the summoner asked frantically, turning around to her assistants._

_Immediately, the assistants went about analyzing their equipment. It was found out in the past that Volt's electric fields fluctuated as he spoke, meaning one could decipher meaning from an otherwise ancient and lost tongue. "I got it," one person called from the back, "He told us that he didn't want anything to do with more power struggles, so he won't be giving anyone anymore of his power."_

_Flustered, the summoner racked her brain to think of ways to convince Volt. Outside, the weather was deteriorating, with thunderstorms rolling into the area. The humid feeling from outside was amplified in the temple, making everyone feeling sticky and uncomfortable. "Volt, I assure you that we will not use your power for harming purposes. We only wish to harness a new source of energy," the summoner pleaded._

_It would not sway Volt, who again mumbled something to the lines of: "I have been in the world for too many power conflicts, the worst of which tore the world into two. Most summon spirits, including myself, are very leery of people asking us for power, so we will remain very hesitant in giving these pieces away. Since all you want is extra energy, then I say it's not enough justification for giving it," the interpreter explained._

"_So what does he want us to do then? Threaten to blow up the place and force it out?" one officer shouted angrily. Around him, the other soldiers nodded in agreement, agitated by Volt's attitude and becoming irritable due to the heat and humidity._

_The summoner turned around and tried to calm the troops down. "The last thing we want is to shock Volt into attacking us, so until we work something out, can you at least give it a rest?" she snapped. Above them, Volt observed with interest, his attention solely on the group before him._

_At this time, a lightning bolt came crashing down near their location, causing the entire temple to shake and rumble. Everyone's attention, including Volt's was diverted as the team checked their equipment. It was likely that the electricity from the shot might have influenced the electric mana in the temple, causing their pieces of technology to short circuit, and even run out of power. "Everybody check your machines, makes sure they're all running and functional," the summoner ordered from the top._

_One by one her assistants reported their findings: all their machines were short circuited. Immediately, they began restarting them one by one, hoping to get them back on-line for the final summoning step._

"Wait, isn't starting and restarting pieces of technology inside a summon spirit temple supposed to affect the mana within? Won't that make Volt go nuts?" Genis asked.

Sheena looked up at the group sadly, tears streaming from her eyes. "Nobody at that time knew it would happen, but when the machines were restarted, the mana was tipped to the point of no return, causing Volt to unleash his power on us. Unfortunately, most people were directly in the way. That included the summoner and her husband. My grandfather was near the doorway, meaning he was relatively unharmed. By the time the mana levels returned to normal and Volt had stopped, my grandfather could see that most of them were either dead or severely injured. He couldn't save them in time."

The group looked down in a sombre pose, not knowing what to say. Maybe that was why both Sheena and Igaguri had tensed up when Volt was mentioned. "So, did your grandfather still work for the army after that?" Colette asked gently.

"No, the experience was just too traumatizing for him. After the experience, the army had set up an inquiry that threatened to court martial him if they found wrongdoing. Fortunately, his name was cleared, as the thunderstorm was also to blame for making the mana and Volt more unstable. He requested to be discharged afterwards, and had been living as a civilian until he was appointed as general a few years later. He did not mention that experience openly very much, but he had always told me that even though the army cleared his name, he still felt guilty for what happened," Sheena described.

Again, more silence from the group, as they all felt for Sheena and Igaguri, and understood the pressure this mission had on them. But as they pondered this, the still weak Lynn Sage spoke up. "I once said the same thing to Gil when he lost his wife, and I guess I'll say it to you, even though Gil's not on our side anymore," she told Sheena, her voice still hoarse, "No matter what happens, we are not giving up on you. You have to face your inner demons and conquer them if you want to move on. I know there's not much more I can do, given that I'm stricken, but I'm sure my grandchildren and their friends will offer you any support possible."

"Remember, we're in this for the long haul, whether we like it or not. So if both sides are willing to work together, then it's only a matter of time before we can come to a solution and beat Cruxis altogether," Lloyd chimed in, determined to help.

A weak smile crept across Sheena's face. "And that's the reason why I'm so glad to have friends like you," she stated appreciatively, "But nonetheless, I think we should head back first. We still have a lot of stuff to plan before we can actually get moving. I just hope we can get that done in time, before Colette and Lynn take another beating with regards to their health," she decided, gesturing to the two in wheelchairs.

"I think the best technique is just to divide and conquer, with Sheena and Mark heading to the temples with the military, while Lloyd and I head to find the cure. Genis can probably come along if we want help, but Frank and Phoebe should stay here to keep an eye on Colette and Grandma," Raine decided.

"Speaking of which, I haven't seen Dr. Owen around since we last saw him at Balacruf," Genis pointed out, "Does anyone know where he is right now?"

It was Frank who answered Genis' question. "Mark said he had some stuff to deal with after visiting the Triet ruins, and left back for Tethe'alla. He's still in town today, but he said he was busy and couldn't make the meeting. We'll just update him when we get back," Frank assured the young half-elf.

"Well, should we head back now?" Sheena suggested, leading the way. She reached the door and pressed the button for the automatic door. Phoebe and Raine pushed the two wheelchairs out of the building through the door as the entire group followed.

Lloyd was among the last to leave when he realized that there was someone lagging behind. Turning around, he saw Genis still loitering in the lobby, craning his neck and looking back to the direction of the meeting room. "Genis, it's time to go. What are you waiting for?" Lloyd asked.

Genis glanced back at Lloyd and Sheena nervously. "I thought I saw someone looking suspicious sneaking out the meeting room. I think they sneaked out the back door or something like that. Not sure why they're acting so suspicious though," he announced.

Lloyd and Sheena looked at each other uneasily. Was Cruxis spying on them again? It would be apparent that even with the military providing security and protection, they were not safe in the upcoming days.

* * *

Gil yawned and stretched like a cat as he tried to keep himself awake in the middle of Rodyle's talk. They were to decide on whom to take what role in the mission for tomorrow night, when the newly mined Exspheres were to be taken to one of their associates for processing. Once this was done, Gil assumed, they would finally take it to the area of interest, where Rodyle's "grand invention" would be put to work.

Gil also pondered his plans as to the chances that he had with knowing more. Unlike the Sylvarant branches of Cruxis, Tethe'alla's branch had more humans involved, but it was because of this that Gil could find nobody that he could trust. In a somewhat rhetorical conversation with Forcystus in the past, Gil had warned him of having humans around meant it would be more dangerous. "I can always rely on a guy like you, because I know what your beliefs are, and how they come to affect me," Gil recalled saying, "I can never read humans well, because they tend to be a bit, shall we say, unpredictable. You never quite know when they'll do something unbelievable, know what I mean?"

Gil sighed as he thought back to that statement. It was meant to be something to throw Forcystus off, but who knew that it would come back to bite him here. He stared forward stoically as Vharley finished setting out the assignments. "The meeting team will meet with our associate at the designated area, and once everything was confirmed, we will then send in the delivery group. Once the Exspheres are off and the money has been transferred, we can head on back to the headquarters. Clear?" Vharley barked.

As the group filed out, murmuring to themselves, Gil scanned around the room. Indeed, a certain redhead was still present, waiting for his turn to approach Vharley. Gil grumbled, knowing that whatever Zelos was doing would probably put a dent into his plans. But yet, part of Gil also wanted Zelos to do more talking with the Cruxis leaders, since Zelos never seemed to take anything seriously around Gil, except for flirting with girls, that is. Slowly getting up, Gil inched forward, trying to hear what Zelos was asking but all the while trying not to bring Zelos' attention to him.

"I won't be going on this mission, but there's a reason why I'm sending you," Gil could hear Vharley explain to Zelos. As he listened closer, Gil could find out that the idea to have a processer came from Rodyle, and it was Vharley who provided the right person for the job, thanks to his multiple connections. Along with that, it seemed like that Zelos also had some authority within this Cruxis branch, as Vharley trusted Zelos with quite a lot of important missions. "Knowing you, I know we won't fail," Vharley concluded.

Gil cocked an eyebrow, seeming surprised, but impressed with the knowledge that he just gained. Knowing that Zelos would be an important part of Vharley's plan, maybe one way to get the redhead off his case was to pit him against Vharley. What could Gil do to undermine the trust Vharley had on Zelos? Shaking his head, he decided to mull it over later. Approaching the bald man, Gil asked, "I didn't really recall hearing my name being announced, so would you care to tell me where I'm assigned?"

Vharley glanced at his notes. At this time, Gil took to observing the behaviours of both Vharley and Zelos, trying to read their expressions and get into their thoughts. Zelos only retorted with that arrogant smirk of his, completely defiant of Gil's efforts. You just wait, Gil thought to himself, the second I get a chance to bust this operation, I'll get the last laugh when I see you two get carted off to jail.

Finally, the bald man moved his head back up from his papers and faced Gil. "I'll be placing you with the group that makes the drop, as you'll meet up with the Exsphere refining group. And in the interests of clarity, Zelos will be there with you."

Gil shot the two men a dark look, which only caused Zelos' smirk to widen even more. "Well, looks like I'll be spending some quality time with my bud," Zelos said sarcastically, putting his arm around Gil's shoulder, "It's not often humans get to work together in Cruxis, especially with someone as talented as myself. So consider this an honour, my friend," he boasted to Gil.

I'll be honoured alright, Gil thought, honoured to kick your butt. Taking a deep breath and regaining his composure, Gil turned to face Zelos and took a chance to cause some internal strife. Knowing that Zelos had Vharley's trust, it was a good chance to break them up should he be caught on the wrong end. "I heard Vharley trusts you quite a lot in these missions, so I assume you always get it done?" Gil asked.

"Oh yeah, absolutely. No Cruxis mission will succeed here in Exire or anywhere in Tethe'alla without the great Zelos Wilder," the redhead bragged, puffing out his chest.

Gil cocked an eyebrow. He turned to Vharley, who merely nodded in agreement. "Zelos is one of the best here, with his background knowledge in military studies and such," he confirmed, "We usually operate our most important missions with him."

Gil rubbed his chin, an idea forming like a cloud in his head. "I find it rather interesting that for such a motor mouth and narcissist, Zelos would actually be considered a prime target for these missions. Rather suspicious, don't you think?" he raised the issue.

For a second, Gil could see Zelos' expression change slightly, but flashed back to his regular casual self. But the bald man standing across from them did not take this news easily. "What do you mean suspicious? Are you questioning my decision making here, Irving?" Vharley demanded, his eyes narrowing to darts.

Gil shrugged. "Oh, nothing much, except for the fact that I find our great Cruxis member seems to talk on the phone a bit too much, especially with his 'hunnies.' I don't think he should be focusing on them on missions as important as these ones. You don't want them to find out too much, now would you?" Gil pressed on, side-staring Zelos.

Now it was Zelos' turn to look uncomfortable. He tried to turn away from the group, avoiding eye contact with his superior Vharley. But the bald man did not seem impressed, as he pressed his lieutenant for information. "Is this true? Do you tend to use your phone too much, spending your time talking with your girlfriends or admirers during these missions?" Vharley demanded.

As this was mentioned, Zelos had an idea to turn the tables back on Gil. "Don't be pointing the finger at me. Last time I was on my cell, we already left the mine. Besides, if you want to talk about using phones too much, why not ask Gil? He was text messaging someone the last time we were out," Zelos corrected Vharley's claim.

Vharley turned back to Gil. It was evident that the first battle of the Cold War was happening as of they speak. But Gil stood firm, holding his ground as he explained his case. "Everyone knows that I have a son, and while I'm with Cruxis I keep track of what he does. If you don't believe me, ask Forcystus. He'll tell you that my word is good."

Vharley's eyes alternated between the two like a metronome, unsure of what to say. Gil had a neutral expression on his face, but tried to remain adamant of his course, while Zelos alternated between a look of worry before Vharley and a death glare to Gil. Finally, the Cruxis lieutenant spoke. "I don't know which one of you is the actual culprit, but I emphasize repeatedly that the notion of talking excessively on your phones during the missions is strongly discouraged. Next time this happens again, we'll confiscate the phones before the mission. Until then, you two better do some preparation work for tomorrow night." And with that, Vharley marched off, leaving Gil and Zelos behind.

Zelos shot another death glare at Gil as they exited the room. "So is this it? You're not happy that you're no longer the top human around, so you resort to slandering me and blackening my name?" Zelos growled at the undercover police officer.

Now it was Gil's turn to smirk. "I find that comment rather unusual, especially coming from you," he retorted, "You and Vharley had been suspicious of me since the first day, and I'm willing to bet that you guys want to find the perfect way to get rid of me. But no matter, since every Cruxis branch I went to they tried to get rid of me the first chance they got. Magnius, Kvar, you name it. But you know what? I always bounce back and earning more trust, and ended up in higher ranking positions than my doubters. Good hint for you and Vharley to remember, got it?"

As Gil marched off, Zelos called after him, "You just wait, Gil. If I ever caught you in a difficult situation, there's no way I'll be helping you out. I'll just showcase my great talent and save the day, while you take the brunt of the blame."

Gil rolled his eyes. The way Zelos said that last sentence, sounded more like he was talking to the rest of the world rather than to Gil. But nonetheless, Gil was up to the challenge. "Bring it on, Zelos," he replied as he stepped out of the building, "Bring it on." Inside the minds of both men, they were aware that this Cold War was about to escalate, and the rivalry between them was only getting hotter.

* * *

For the third time that week, Lloyd found himself strapped into the large military aircraft as he prepared to go on the cure searching mission for Colette and Lynn with Raine and Genis. Sheena and Mark also joined them, as they were to finish with Tethe'alla's summon spirits as soon as possible. Sheena still had not revealed what she was going to do with Volt yet, as it was an event that had haunted her family for all these years, but deep down, both sides knew that she was to face it sooner or later.

But it was not to a summon spirit area that they were headed to. Rather, the military recommended that they head to Altamira, a popular resort on one of Tethe'alla's largest islands. This was the headquarters to a very well-known technological research company called the Lezarano Research Institute. They had provided much of the expertise on this matter and others that affected national security.

It was a strange mix of private ownership with public funds, where the company was co-owned by the government and a private group, led by a millionaire named Regal Bryant. "His family had been into the technological research business for decades, and it's only recently that they widened their scope from regular, everyday technology to meeting the needs of larger group organizations such as academics and the military," Sheena explained, "Some stuff that Raine and I often used probably came from them."

As the plane made its turn above the resort, Lloyd could not help but admire the scene before him. There were white sand on the beaches, children and adults alike playing in the surf, all under the shadows of high-rise hotels just by the waterfront. It reminded Lloyd how little freedom he enjoyed when he was with his father, and how limited his own vision or scope of the world was. One of these days, I'm going to come here and enjoy the beauty of freedom, Lloyd thought to himself.

But again, he was snapped back to reality as the plane landed onto the tarmac and they were whisked away in military escorted vehicles. They turned away from the beach and resort and into the commercial part of the city, where they were led into a large building. The group was in complete silence, anticipating the meeting with CEO Bryant as they were led into a large conference room. There, they were greeted by a white-haired man, "My name is George, Mr. Bryant's chief advisor. He'll be coming out in just a minute, so feel free to take a seat for now," he informed the group.

As they positioned themselves around the large table, Genis leaned over to Raine and quietly asked, "I know I sound like a broken record, but what exactly are we asking and what do we hope to get out of this Bryant guy?"

Lloyd, who sat to Raine's other side, also leaned his head in as Raine explained the situation. "We're seeing if Mr. Bryant has any information regarding this type of Exsphere and whether the cure that we're hoping for is viable. It says in literature that it has worked in the past, but we still don't know enough about where to start looking. And as Lloyd pointed out, the cure's preparation is a lost dwarven art, meaning our knowledge of it is limited, so the more info we can get out of him, the better it'll help us."

Just at this time, a large, aqua-haired man wearing a dark blue suit and tie stepped into the room. Towering over everybody, he introduced himself in a clear, commanding voice. "My name is Regal Bryant, owner and CEO of the Lezareno Company. I've been aware of the precarious situation the security of the world is in, and I'm willing to help all in need, even those that came over from Sylvarant. The main objective of the meeting is to brief everyone in their current missions and see what assistance our company can offer. So shall we begin?"

Sheena and Mark were given the chance to go first. They described their current mission to go to each summon spirit area and collect elemental stones from them. "We're under the assumption that whoever controls the mana of the world pretty much controls the world itself. With sources from both countries confirming that Cruxis is potentially working on a large-scale weapon of mass destruction, we need to protect the mana somehow, and the only way is to use the spirits," Mark explained.

Regal nodded. "I believe we have provided research instruments for academics before, but if you're considering using the highest possible upgrade for maximum efficiency, then we're really going to have to scour the research labs," he replied.

"I think for now, we can be on our way to deal with the spirits our way, but we could really use your help when we deal with…Volt," Sheena responded, saying the last word like it was a death march.

Regal's expression changed as he narrowed his eyes into Sheena. He could tell that the Mizuho native was uncomfortable with talking about the electric summon spirit. "You don't have to worry about keeping that a secret. I was well aware of the incident involving your grandfather thirty years ago, because my parents were running the company when it happened," Regal stated, "Besides, I can honestly say that you're not the only one here with a past that had some rather unpleasant memories."

Sheena looked up, wondering what the millionaire could possibly mean by that statement. But before she could inquire, Regal had already moved on to Raine's group, asking her objectives for their mission. Very quickly, Raine described the conditions of Colette and Lynn, and their research for a cure. "We seem to have found out from past history that whatever this implant is, it is curable with a combination of ingredients, most of which are natural," she explained, "All we require right now is to search for the items and put the cure together to give to Colette and my grandmother."

This seemed to hit another bad note for Regal, whose facial expression flashed from neutral to downright bitter. "So Cruxis is carrying forward with their plans," he muttered, partially to himself, "As if those sisters were not victims enough."

Lloyd and the Sage siblings also stared at Regal. "Uh, we can hear you, you know," Genis pointed out, "You want to tell us what happened to these sisters? Because whatever you know may go a long way to saving my Grandma."

Regal looked up, biting his lower lip. George stepped up beside him and eased him into the executive's seat. "This is not a story that Mr. Bryant preferred to remember," he stated, "It all started about four years ago, when a young graduate graduating from the top of her class from the nearby Altamira Institute of Technology was hired. Her name was Alicia Combatir, and she was one of the brightest AIT had to offer."

"Even within a year of being hired, she was already one of the rising stars in our research department, and that's when a man named Vharley approached us. He used to be an expert on natural resources, and operated a couple of mines that we used to get some of our materials from," Regal continued, "Vharley said there was research involving some alternative materials that required our expertise, and specifically asked for Alicia, so we didn't hesitate in letting her go with him."

"It was mainly my fault, since I was the one who advised Mr. Bryant in that move," George admitted, "What I didn't see was that Vharley no longer worked directly with the mining organizations, but with Cruxis. It was then that we realized that Vharley had been smuggling our research information to Rodyle, who had been independently studying Exspheres, and had began developing them at this time."

"What? How could you not realized that? And you call yourselves researchers!" Genis spat, disgusted with the move that put Alicia into harm.

That got Genis an elbow to the ribs from Raine, who urged him to be respectful. "It's not our place to judge them," Raine scolded, "Listen and we'll find something out."

Regal give a forced chuckle. "I guess this young guy has every right to criticize us after what happened next. Vharley and Rodyle basically kept Alicia hostage and tested their new Exsphere on her. By the time the police located and busted into their operation, Vharley did the unthinkable but yanking the Exsphere right off of Alicia. It turned her into some monster of some sort, and she started attacking the police. It turned out that the Exsphere was yanked so that it would bide Rodyle and Vharley some time to escape. Her life was of no value to them, save for the fact that they still had their operation intact and a new weapon to their arsenal. I won't be surprised if they kidnapped more people for their sick and twisted plan," Regal concluded.

"Even today, Mr. Bryant and I held ourselves accountable for what had happened, and it still bothered us that one of our rising stars as well as new friend was killed due to our incompetence," George commented, "So we know very well what this situation meant for your grandmother and friend, and we're willing to do anything to help you."

A solemn silence descended upon the room as the group pondered the destructive abilities of the Exsphere. Throughout history Exspheres were viewed as a valuable device that enhanced fighting ability, but at the cost of another life. When the world reunited, the heroes tried to get rid of them. Now, the prospect of a new type of Exsphere shocked the group, as the world was faced with another cruel attempt to steal human lives again.

* * *

So there you go, Regal Bryant makes his debut in my story. There's more to him than that meets to eye, so keep watching out for him later on. Keep reading and reviewing!


	22. Back to Square One

Thanks to **I.K.A. Valian **and** Fenrir of the Shadows **for the reviews. More things are about to happen here, with Cruxis taking another bold move, Lloyd and company heading for a cure, and Gil and Zelos cranking the temperature gauge one knot higher in their Cold War. Things are about to heat up!

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

A solemn silence descended upon the conference room as everyone pondered the destructiveness of Exspheres. It was obvious that the loss of Alicia pained Regal a lot, and that it ate away at him every single day. Sheena thought about how this event was eerily similar to Igaguri's attempt to conquer Volt, only to have his battalion and friends electrocuted before his eyes. Looks like Grandpa isn't the only one with blood on his hands, Sheena thought as she silently sympathized with Regal.

Meanwhile, Lloyd, Genis and Raine thought about the effects this could have on Colette and Lynn. It was evident that whatever this monster was that the Exsphere host turned into, it caused them to lose all control of their body and mind, just like the Cruxis letter had told them when the Exspheres were first implanted. It was truly tragic that Alicia had been nothing more than literally a human shield for Rodyle and Vharley, and was unfortunately gunned down by the police. But knowing the threat that they posed, it made the group more determined to end this Cruxis madness once and for all.

"But despite all that, I think it's best that we get everyone what they want or to where they have to go," George suggested, breaking the silence, "Shall we get Dr. Owen and Sheena to the lab right away?"

Regal nodded. "Tell them to have all the new equipment on mana detection and management ready, and let these guys see what they need. We'll work out a deal with the military on financing and payments for borrowing them later on."

As George led Mark and Sheena off, Regal turned to Lloyd and the Sage siblings. "I'm not sure if I've ever heard of this cure that you guys were referring to, but I do recall that our labs have studied some natural elements and chemicals that help neutralize mana in certain entities. Maybe you can pay our archives a visit, and look through some of the older research we've done. I'm sure you can find something along there," he informed them.

After converging to discuss their options, Raine decided that they would visit the archives, and possibly spend a night in Altamira, just in case they had to go over the materials. "I doubt we'll have enough expertise to put everything together though, but I think we'll manage in the long term," Raine described.

Regal nodded, realizing the dilemma they were in. But nonetheless, he suggested looking in the archives first, just to cover anything they did not find out before. After getting directions from Regal, they slipped out of the room, followed closely by some military personnel, who had to arrange accommodations for them. That left Regal all by himself in the room to think. "They can't possibly have anyone that could put the cure together. From my past experience, there had only been one person that managed to deal with this properly, but he's already quit shortly after Alicia's death," Regal thought to himself, "Maybe I could visit him and see whether he's willing to help."

Quickly getting up, he pulled out his cell phone and dialled for his chauffeur. "I have to get to the airport. Have them prepare my private plane. We're going for a flight to Ozette," he instructed.

* * *

While Lloyd and company scoured the Lezareno archives for their information, Gil was also doing some detective work of his own. In the morning, he had informed Noishe and Marshall of the situation in Exire, and how there would be a mission that night. He got Marshall to contact the authorities in Exire, and how there was a mole from across the border on the case. "Just make sure they know that I'm from across the border, but I'm still on their side," Gil warned the Iselia police chief.

Gil also took the chance to warn the Iselia police about Zelos, and the "Cold War" that they were in. "I'm sure you can handle this situation. If you're diligent, then there's no way that he can outsmart you," Marshall assured.

"Yes he can," Gil corrected. After giving the chief some final instructions, he ended the call and left the room. Seeing that he still had an entire afternoon before he had to meet with Cruxis, Gil took the chance to scout out their area for that night before he would take his move. Knowing that he was in an alien environment, he would need to use all possible elements to his advantage. Hailing a taxi, he told the driver the designated meeting spot for the night. He remained silent throughout the rest of the trip, crossing his arms and closing his eyes in deep thought. Only the taxi driver's soft voice alerted Gil of the arrival to his destination. Nodding his head, Gil fished out his wallet and gave the driver the money, telling him to keep the tip as he slowly stepped out of the vehicle.

Viewing the surroundings, he could tell that it was another industrial zone, very typical of Cruxis. Taking a short walk to view each warehouse, he noted every nook and cranny for him to hide or duck away should the police arrive. The old buildings were rusty and damp from years of absorbing moisture, some even exhibiting cracks along the walls. Above him, old metal drainage pipes hanged from rooftops, lucky to still stay in place after all these years. The murky, contaminated water gave off a strange, sickening smell that did not feel very welcoming, but Gil had to put up with it nonetheless.

He also searched out possible areas where phone connections would be strongest, so he could make calls to Iselia, if necessary. Overall, Gil had to admit that he was satisfied with what he saw, as the area offered enough sources of advantage for Gil. "Not bad for my first time here," he commented.

Just as he was ready to leave, he heard a cell phone tone from the far distance. "I thought this place was pretty much abandoned, why would there be someone here?" he asked. Inching towards the direction of the tone, he was determined to find out who was there with him. Knowing the precarious situation he faced in Cruxis, he would not be surprised if he was being followed.

Turning the corner, he saw a shadowy figure standing a few metres away, with the back towards him. Ducking behind a building, Gil tilted his head and observed the figure from the corner of his eye. It seemed like this person was scouting out the area as well, trying to locate something. There was no cell phone out, so Gil assumed this person merely slapped it shut after the ringing. Undaunted, Gil persisted, tailing the figure with his eyes as the mysterious stranger wandered off.

Then, as luck would have it, the cell phone rang again, causing the figure to stop, and this time, answer it. "I'm not in the best position to talk right now, so can you call me back?" the voice of Zelos Wilder could be heard saying.

Gil gasped, but covered his own mouth before he could make another noise. So Zelos was here with him, and for what purpose? Was Zelos tailing Gil the entire time, or were they here together out of sheer coincidence? Or perhaps Zelos had allegiances elsewhere? Gil was unsure of all this, but knowing the current situation with Cruxis, it would be a dangerous position to play too much into Zelos' hands.

"Yes, I'm at the area right now, and I'm searching it out as of we speak. But I really can't go into the details for now, so can we talk later?" Zelos rudely replied to whoever he was talking to. After a few more seconds, he finally slapped the phone shut and shoved it into his pocket. He turned around and was headed for the exit, which, as luck would have it, was towards Gil's position.

Gil was caught out of position, as the person he did not want to see was headed in his direction. Scanning the premises, he tried to find an area for him to hide. Seeing a door open just ajar, he scrambled for the nearby warehouse, while trying to remain as quiet as possible. He managed to slip inside just as Zelos stepped around the corner of the building he was hiding behind earlier.

Gil took a deep breath and relaxed as he barely managed to avoid Zelos. Immediately, he racked his brain and thought of his options. The fact that Zelos was at the warehouses was both an advantage and disadvantage for him. The disadvantage was the obvious, as Zelos was sent to tail Gil throughout the entire time in Exire. Gil was afraid that perhaps Zelos had been observing him the whole time, meaning Gil's identity as an undercover police officer was in danger.

But at the same time, it might also mean Zelos was himself unsure of the Cruxis mission, and had to scout out the area himself. Knowing that, Gil could count on the fact that Zelos might slip up that night, and allowed Gil to slide some blame and attention onto him. A less likely scenario was that Zelos was a double-agent, possibly working for another organization and undermining Cruxis objectives. Maybe he could be another mole as well, Gil thought. But whatever the case, Gil knew that he had to be extra careful at the mission tonight. He took a peek through the crack of the door and saw Zelos' shadow file pass, meaning the redhead was likely leaving. Gil breathed out a sigh of relief, knowing that he only have to wait a few more minutes before he could leave.

But just as he breathed out, the wind picked up and blew the door slightly open, creating a nasty "creek" sound. Zelos paused and turned around, curious at the noise. "This wasn't open when I first got here," he muttered to himself.

From inside, Gil could see Zelos approaching the warehouse, inching closer and closer to his position. Each step Zelos took, he was a bit closer to seeing Gil, and Gil was a bit closer to death. Zelos was right outside the door, slowly pushing it open further as he took a glance inside. Gil crawled back as it continued opening up, curling himself up and making himself invisible behind the large metal door.

Zelos now stood at the doorframe, observing the scene before him. Is somebody stalking me here, he thought to himself as he took a few steps into the warehouse, not aware of Gil curled up behind the metal door. The water droplets from the top of the doorframe slowly dripped onto Gil, making the undercover police officer awfully uncomfortable. He clenched his teeth, holding his breath and his ground as Zelos scanned the room, trying to locate his so-called stalker.

Finally, after a few more seconds, the redhead turned to leave the warehouse. "This smell is doing a number on me," he murmured, "That's no way to go for the smart and handsome Zelos." With that, he left the room, whipping the metal door close. The door slammed with a muffled bang, leaving Gil still lying there to catch his breath.

Gil would remain in that position for another few minutes before he had enough courage to approach the door and open it. Fortunately, the old warehouse did not have locks available, meaning Gil got out with relative ease. By the time he reached the exit, he could see that Zelos was long gone, with no sign of the redhead anywhere. Knowing that he had dodged a bullet, Gil hailed a taxi and return to his temporary residence for the time being. It would be in his best interests to lay low until on that night.

* * *

"I didn't know that an archive of a private research institute would have that much information. You would think this only applies to universities, but we got just as much stuff here," Lloyd commented as they scoured through the Lezareno archives. With three people, they were able to search through the material faster, and it wasn't long before they managed to narrow their search to what they wanted.

"Alright, let's gather around and see what we managed to find," Raine announced to Lloyd and Genis. It was decided by the group that Raine was to continue searching for a cure, while Lloyd and Genis went for the natural resources and ores that went to putting the Exsphere together. They guessed that there would be a cure of some sort from the natural sources themselves, so it would be useful to focus their search on that.

"Well, Genis and I found something called zircon, which was an element that could withstand sources of mana pretty well," Lloyd reported, "In the past, zircon was to remove the Exsphere, or in some cases, a more advanced form of it called Cruxis Crystal from the host body. In addition to that, zircon had also been mined throughout history. It has been used in research by academics and private groups alike, so it's certainly not an uncommon element."

"We also went into some detail to see what this Cruxis Crystal is all about, and we found out that it would not only turn one against one's own senses and control of the body, but into a Cruxis Crystal itself. The mana actually solidifies and eats away all functions of the body, leading the subject to total death," Genis added.

Raine nodded. "Let's hope whatever Colette and Grandma have in their bodies will not lead to that stage, although I can't say I'm sure whether an Exsphere can evolve into a Cruxis Crystal. What about materials for cures?"

Lloyd and Genis glanced at each other. "Uh, we did find some stuff, but we don't know what to do with them," Lloyd admitted, rubbing the back of his head.

But Raine persisted, insisting that they report the information anyway, and just dealing with them later on. Seeing that they were rather cornered, Lloyd and Genis decided to spill the beans. "There were two other elements that could go towards curing a Cruxis Crystal, but both are located in areas that the three of us aren't really welcome to visit," Genis explained, "The first is a mana leaf herb, which is an elven plant that only the elves know much about. They've been at best reluctant to integrate themselves with the rest of the world, even during the reunification."

"The second is a piece of mana, which I assume would be available from Sheena, but knowing that she wants all the mana pieces she can to let the military prevent the world from degrading, I doubt she could get another piece from the spirits without the military or the spirits themselves making a fuss," Lloyd stated.

Raine nodded, the facts seemed to confirm her findings. "The material I searched through did make mentions to zircon, and mana fragments, and even the leaf herb, but to put it together either requires an expert alchemist, or an expert in dwarven arts. I doubt anyone of us have any expertise in either field, so even with the materials all completely gathered, there's not much we can do unless someone helps us out," Raine sighed, "And that puts us back at square one."

The threesome kept their eyes on the floor, not sure what to do next. Lloyd had an idea, but was not sure if it might work. "Guys, how about we ask Sheena for help? Not with the summon spirits, but with putting the cure together. I mean, being from Mizuho, a land that cherishes its history and role in Reunification, you think she's bound to run across something like that, right?"

"Something like what?" a voice from the back called. Lloyd, Genis and Raine turned around to see George escorting Sheena and Mark into the archives. "We're just finished with looking at some of the pieces that we'll be bringing with us, and they're loading them onto the plane as of we speak, so we thought we'd drop by," Sheena stated.

"And it's a good thing that you did, because we want you to help us. We have all the elements figured out, and all we have to do is to put them together. The ones that we want your help with the most are mana fragments, where I'm sure you can get from the summon spirits, provided that they're willing to give you an extra piece. The other part is how to put the cure together, as none of us have expertise in alchemy or dwarven arts. We're wondering if you might know someone who knows dwarven arts rather well, so that they can help us with this," Raine described.

Sheena racked her brain, biting her lower lip as she tried hard to come up with anything. "Dwarves are pretty rare even in the past, so it's going to be rather difficult to find anyone who knows anything about that. I'm really not sure if I can help you, because no one's coming to mind right now," she said apologetically.

That resulted in a group sigh, the sound resembling the ocean breeze from the beach on the other side of the city. It was not news that they needed, as the conditions of Lynn and Colette were not expected to get better anytime soon, and if they did not get a cure put together soon, they would face imminent death. "There's got to be someone that can put this thing together, there's just got to be," Genis insisted, his tone nervous.

"Dwarven arts, just like summoning and magi-technology, are almost a lost art. The records of this group are very rare, and for that it's very hard to keep track of. We were lucky to get so much from Sybak and Meltokio, and even here, so what more can you ask for?" Raine told her little brother, although she did sympathize with him.

But Lloyd was not convinced, and was willing to take the research a step further. "I personally don't want to be looking back at Meltokio or Sybak, so we're hoping that we can find it here. George, do you guys have anyone here that may have done research on dwarven skills of any type? Not just putting together this cure?" Lloyd asked.

Now it was George who racked his brain as the entire group look on. The long-time head advisor and friend of the Bryant family had interviewed and recommended many of the company's top researchers for hiring, hence he knew most personally. Was there one that was an expert on dwarven arts that had left any impression on him? The silence ate away at the group as they stared at the elderly man, who stood there with his arms crossed and his head down, eyes tightly shut. The suspense mounted as they waited for an answer from the long-time Lezareno advisor.

Then suddenly, George looked up at the group. "I do know someone who had been into dwarven arts research. In fact, I believe he's a dwarf himself," George announced the good news. A small cheer came out from the group, who was happy to know that their hopes were restored. "But before you get too happy, I have to say that he's no longer with Lezareno, having resigned a couple of years ago. But I do have a name and address for him, if you find that helpful."

Glancing around, the group agreed on the next best option. Walking over to a desk, George pulled out a small piece of paper and pen and wrote down the information. "He lives just on the outskirts of Ozette, which is to the other side of the forest from Mizuho. His name is…"

* * *

"…Altessa. It's been a while since I've spoken to you," Regal greeted his host. Standing before the CEO was a dwarf with greying hair, spiked upwards from behind the ears. He had a grey moustache and beard, and some wrinkles in his face, a sign of the years and experience that he had on the planet.

"Regal Bryant, I haven't seen you in years. What brings you here?" Altessa replied to his guest in a gruff voice.

"We're going to need your expertise on Exspheres and their effects on the human body again. We have two people from Sylvarant attacked by the extremist group Cruxis, and they've implanted Exspheres into these two victims as a method of threatening their families to cooperate with them to conquer the world's mana," Regal explained, "In a case like this, only you can offer them a cure, and…"

"Don't even start, I will not do it," Altessa responded firmly, cutting Regal off. "There's a reason why I resigned from Lezareno a few years back, and that's because I want nothing to do with this issue any further."

Regal was stumped. Here was Altessa rejecting him on an issue that he usually jumped at the chance to showcase himself, and yet he refused to? Undaunted, the tall man tried reasoning with the dwarf. "Surely you can't be serious. This is your chance to make a difference in this world here. With your actions, you can save two people. I strongly urge you to reconsider," Regal reiterated his stand.

"No, I want to have no part in this. I've shaken hands with the devil that year when I shared my research information to Vharley, who leaked it to Rodyle. The result was that I was forced to create those test Exspheres, and led to the death of Alicia. If that wasn't enough, Rodyle had me continue the project and used it on her sister, Presea Combatir," Altessa described bitterly.

"Presea Combatir, the older sister of Alicia, I've heard a bit about her from Alicia, but I'm not aware that Rodyle actually planned to use her," Regal commented with both interest and disgust. This was new to him, as he did not know that Presea was attached with an Exsphere and was involved in Rodyle's sick and twisted experiements. "And that's all the more for us to take action. What happened to her, by the way?" he asked.

"I'm not sure," Altessa answered glumly, "From what I heard, Rodyle and some of the other Cruxis branches were planning to put them into a spying service for each other, so that they get an advantage on their enemies. Presea, I'm guessing, must be sent to do their work, and I wouldn't be surprised if she's serving one of Cruxis' Sylvarant branches as of we speak. But it's still not going to change my mind. I won't help you."

At this time, Regal was getting impatient. Lives were at stake, the world was being threatened, and here was the stubborn Altessa refusing to cooperate. Standing up, Regal marched over to the dwarf, an imposing sight considering that Regal stood six feet three inches, while Altessa was only a dwarf. "Think about this. I know you're upset by the decision that you took with Vharley, and how Vharley and Rodyle manipulated you into creating Exspheres for them, but this is your chance to redeem yourself. You got two people out there that you could save with your expertise on these cures, and indirectly take a huge blow to Cruxis operations."

Altessa glared at Regal with a stoic expression as Regal continued, "Every Cruxis move that the military and police foil is a step backwards to them. We can literally have these guys on the run, and taken out in no time. Now, if that's not inspiration enough, then I don't know what is. I know I was inspired when I saw Lloyd and the Sage siblings out there risking life and limb just to save their loved ones. That alone has inspired me to think that if I too take action, I can redeem myself, and be able to say to Alicia when I join her one day that I have done everything I can to make a difference."

Regal turned to leave, leaving a silent Altessa still sitting on the couch. He was to head back to his vehicle and for the airport, where his private plane was waiting. As he stepped up to the door, Altessa spoke, "I fear nothing. I'm not afraid of you threatening me, or enticing me, or whatever. To me, your proposition is nothing more than a bluff, and puts you in the same league as Cruxis," he spat, angry at the deal Regal offered.

Regal shrugged. "It's your choice. If you choose to stay on the sidelines and say everyone who offers chances to you to redeem your past is Cruxis-like, then you're just in denial. But sooner or later you'll have to confront your fears, so choose wisely now."

* * *

While those Altamira and Ozette searched for a cure, a group in Exire was about to forward the mission. The group, led by Vharley, entered a series of vans and drove off for the warehouse district of the city. And, as agreed upon by Vharley the day before, Gil and Zelos were put together. But their moods were anything but friendly, as both sides were still suspicious of one another, and with their Cold War escalating, all their abilities would be put to the test as they tried to stay alive in Cruxis.

As they reached their destination, Vharley barked out orders and directed the Cruxis members on where to go. Gil and Zelos, despite being forced to work together, did not even look at each other, except for some quick side glances here and there. "I will contact the Exsphere refiner right now, and once we have him in the area, we'll bring over the Exspheres for him to look at," Vharley ordered as his pulled out his phone, "the group that makes the delivery stay in the warehouse and keep the loot safe at all times."

As Vharley exited, the group stood around waiting for the call, with some members chatting casually to each other. All except for Gil and Zelos, that is, as the two humans went to opposite corners of the warehouse and sat quietly, but still taking quick peeks at each other from their respective corners.

While Gil had a chance, he immediately pulled out his phone and typed in a quick message to Chief Marshall. It was agreed upon by the two men that Marshall would send for either the Exire police or the military base nearby. Given that where Exire landed from the sky was the coast, it was evident that there was a military port available, and most of the troops stationed there were from the navy, but were useful in stopping the world from being destroyed by Cruxis nonetheless.

Gil gently closed his phone and pocketed it as he rejoined the group. Because of the darkness and his location, it was doubtful that anyone noticed him missing. But just as Gil returned, Zelos also joined the middle, also pocketing his phone. The two men glared at each other, oblivious to those around them as they stared each other down. It was as if the first man to move would be the one to lose his life.

Just as the tension mounted, Vharley's voice cut in like an ice pick. "Team, we got the refiner. He's on his way here, so let's truck this stuff out," he instructed. Gil and Zelos each picked up a case, not speaking to each other at all as they headed out.

But this time, both men could feel a glare focusing on them, as Vharley watched the two humans with interest. He knew that there was a rivalry between them, and with the attention on those two, it could jeopardize Vharley's own position in Cruxis. Gil took a deep breath as he headed out into the crisp night, the ocean breezes blowing in as dusk was at hand. Good thing I gave Marshall the address earlier, or else I'd be in trouble with Vharley and Zelos, using my phone like that, Gil thought.

Gil and Zelos dragged the cases to another warehouse, on the other side of the yard. After dropping off their cases, they originally wanted to separate from each other again, but Vharley insisted that they stayed. "I've delivered my stuff, so can't I at least have my personal space? A guy a beautiful as me can't be too close to these other people, you know," Zelos smugly pointed out. In the shadows, Gil rolled his eyes.

But Vharley persisted, refusing to let the two men out of his sight. Sighing, Gil and Zelos stuck around, standing near the back of the semi-circle on opposite sides. From his position, Gil could see a small table set up, with a light shining onto the centre. A middle-aged man with thick-rimmed spectacles sat before the desk, picking up each Exsphere and observing them carefully, taking his sweet time at figuring them out.

At the front, Vharley was getting impatient. "Is there any way for you to do it faster? It's not like we don't have a schedule to meet, you know," the bald man snapped.

"You can't rush these things," the Exsphere refiner replied, "Every Exsphere can hold a certain amount of mana, and you have to sort them out very meticulously, deal?"

At the back, Gil was also getting impatient, but for a totally difference reason. He wanted to know why law enforcement had yet to show up despite informing Marshall of everything. "Where are those guys?" he muttered to himself.

The person standing next to Gil cocked his eyebrow after hearing the undercover police officer think out loud. "Where are what guys? Are you expecting someone to visit?" he asked, both curious and suspicious.

Gil, realizing that he let his mouth shoot off, immediately tried to cover himself. "I'm just wondering where my son is, that's all. He is supposedly to be out of town with some friends, so yeah," Gil explained apprehensively.

The Cruxis member continued to stare at Gil for a few more seconds before turning back to the refiner. Putting down the last Exsphere, the refiner stretched his arms and slowly got up. "Well Vharley, I say this is a good batch. I can't wait to get my hands onto these things, considering that you'll pay me a handsome price, that is,"

Vharley and the refiner chuckled as they put the Exspheres away. "We'll deal with the rest later on," Vharley announced to the group, "But right now let's load this stuff into the vans and take them to your place. We'll send you the rest of our batch and our payments later on. It's so much easier to get you on our side, you know that?"

And just as this was said, sirens and footsteps filled the air as spotlights were shined onto the warehouse. "Exire police, we know you're in there. Drop your weapons and your loot and come out with your hands up!" a voice boomed from the outside.

Vharley cursed under his breath as he glanced outside. There were police cars surrounding the warehouse, and it looked like the SWAT team was also present. "Who invited them to the party?" Vharley muttered under his breath. Looking around, he saw a small side door was not covered by police, and it led to the direction in which an escape car was parked. "Hold them off for now," he ordered the group, "I'll take the Exspheres and the refiner somewhere safe."

Vharley and the refiner took off for the side door as the Cruxis members got their weapons ready. Gil ducked to one side as he tried to locate Zelos. Somehow, he felt that the redhead might finally show his true colours that he was nothing but a motor mouth that hid under desks whenever there was a gun fight. But the darkness contrasted with the bright spotlights made it difficult for Gil to see anything more than silhouettes. "Has that narcissist really run away?" Gil wondered aloud.

Just as this was uttered, the SWAT team kicked down the door was, and Cruxis members returned the favour by opening fire. Shots rang out through the night as the two groups battled each other, with Gil trying to duck aside and slip out the side door to see if he could locate the direction in which the escape car sped off to. He whipped out his phone and dialled for Iselia, trying to connect with Marshall as he ran across the yard, avoiding gunfire and people in general.

Then, in the distance, he could see Vharley and the refiner hop into a car and sped off. Gil was about to chase when he could hear guns being cocked. "Down on the floor!" a voice shouted. Gil's heart skipped a beat, as he realized that he had just been captured.

* * *

Look for more people to make their appearances in the nearby future, and another big plot twist coming up. Stay tuned!


	23. The Troublesome Moles

**Fenrir of the Shadows, I.K.A. Valian, **and** Mandrakefunnyjuice** were the reviewers. I just want to thank Mandrake for making this fic one of your favourites. Now, on to another chapter jam-packed with action and suspense, and the first time Noishe makes his appearance in Tethe'alla (in response to Fenrir's quesion, that is).

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

Gil sweated up a storm as he could feel the SWAT team train their guns onto him. "I don't mean any harm. I'm going onto the ground right now," he assured the officers as he dropped to his knees and slowly lowered his face onto the concrete. Knowing that he was in a city where his connections to the police were not that strong, he figured that it was not in his interests to resist them at any time.

The officers hurried in as Gil pressed his face to the ground. The cold concrete and asphalt stung his face as he felt them remove the cell phone from his hand. He was soon led off to the waiting police cars, passing by the warehouse where the SWAT team continued raging their battle against Cruxis. "Has Vharley left the compound yet?" Gil could hear an officer shout.

"We'll get a unit to track them on the highway. They couldn't have left that long ago," another officer replied. Gil sighed as he heard this, because in the dark of night, it would not be easy to track a vehicle from this part of town. Silently, he let the police lead him into a cruiser and sat there patiently as the men in uniform took him into custody.

As this was done, Vharley's car sped out of the yard, heading away from the battle scene as the bald man and the refiner sought to hide the Exspheres from police. They tried to use the dark of night to their advantage, as they believed that the police would have trouble tracking them. But this guess was premature, as the surrounding units soon received a call from their SWAT colleagues to look for any suspicious vehicles speeding their direction. Within seconds, several cruisers tailed them through the streets.

Vharley cursed under his breath as the sirens and lights flashed throughout the night, the reflections providing a huge glare on his rear view mirror. Taking a deep breath, he swerved his car away from the city and up an overpass, turning off into the highway. The turn was so hard that the refiner nearly fell out of his seat, with the case of Exspheres in the back seat being thrown against the door, the Exspheres clacking and clanging in the cases as they rattled around.

But the police persisted, turning the chase into a high speed showdown. A cruiser swerved and banged into the back bumper, trying to knock Vharley off the road. Vharley swerved the car hard again, trying to stay on but the police cruiser rammed yet again, this time hitting the car so hard that it nearly fishtailed and spun out. "I think you should hang on to your hats," Vharley gruffly told his passenger. Keeping his right hand on the wheel, his left hand grasped a gun and stuck it out the window. Just as he got the best aim, he fired two rounds at the police cars behind them.

That caught the police off-guard as the cruisers slowed down to avoid the shots. It gave Vharley a chance to throw his lead as he stomped on the gas and continued speeding off. Beside Vharley, the refiner sighed in relief as Vharley muttered, "That'll teach them not to mess with me."

But again, his comment was premature, as the police caught up within minutes. Vharley repeated his procedure and shot at the cruisers, but this time, the officers fired back. Bullets hit and bounced off the road as the chase became increasingly dangerous. Some barely grazed through the sides of the car as the cruisers continued the pursuit. "Vharley, are you sure about this?" the refiner asked nervously.

Before Vharley could respond, a loud shatter could be heard from the back. A bullet shattered the back window of the car, letting the air rush in as the winds picked up on the highway. Seeing the vulnerable situation they were in, Vharley decided to take a huge risk. Stomping the brakes and pulling a hard left, he halted the vehicle horizontally in the middle of the highway. The police cruisers closed in on him, the white-hot lights heating onto Vharley's car as the cruiser bore down onto them like a falcon diving onto its prey. Vharley calmly rolled down the driver's side window, and then, aiming his gun out the window, he fired one shot at the lead police car.

The move paid off as the engine of the cruiser burst into flames, slowing down all the other police cars. As the officers jumped out of their burning car, the cruiser exploded into a ball of flame, lighting several of the cruisers around on fire. As the police jumped out of their vehicles and attended to their injured comrades, Vharley chuckled and turned the car back onto the highway, speeding off from the police. "See, what'd I tell you? Nothing to it," the bald man boasted as he turned to the refiner.

But Vharley soon realized that the refiner had been killed in the shootout. A bullet grazed the older man at the back of the head, killing him instantly. Blood dripped down his face and the seat, as the expression of shock froze onto the refiner's face. Viewing the scene, Vharley could not help but let out a cry of frustration, as despite the Exspheres being safe, the police still managed to win this round by taking out the person Cruxis needed the most at this time. Sighing, he drove off back to the Cruxis base, realizing that he required another solution fast.

* * *

"What do you mean you won't let us in?" Lloyd demanded as they stood before the entrance of Latheon Gorge. It was decided earlier that morning that the mana leaf herb would be the first target, followed by zircon, and lastly, the mana fragment from Sheena, if she could convince a summon spirit to give her an extra piece.

But right now, the easiest target of the three proved to be the hardest, thanks to a very persistent guard at the entrance of the environmentally sensitive area. "I'm not allowed to let you in, no exceptions," the guard insisted, refusing the back down.

"Look, we're not here to wreck the environment. We want a leaf herb from this area to cure a virtually incurable disease. Can you at least be reasonable?" Lloyd tried to reason with the guard.

But the elven man refused again. "It's not the environmental degradation that I'm worried about. It's the fact that this area has been land owned by the elves for hundreds, if not thousands of years, and our race has restrictions as to who can go in."

"Oh, so it's now about humans, isn't it? So hundreds of years of the world being ripped apart and your butts being hunted did nothing to change your attitudes, did it? You know, that's the reason why there's racism, because people like you are not open enough to accept other races," Lloyd ranted, jabbing a finger in the elf's face. He was so worked up that Raine and Genis had to restrain him. "So no elven blood means no entry? Fine, then Raine and Genis go in," Lloyd decided defiantly.

The Sage siblings were about to step forward when the guard stopped them again. "For half-elves, it's also a refusal. The friction between elves and half-elves also runs quite deep in our race. Despite hundreds of years, we're still not on solid ground. Our leader has made it very clear that only elves are allowed into the area," the guard replied.

Now it was Genis' turn to get on the guard, spewing the same rhetoric Lloyd just did a few seconds ago. While the two teens and the guard continued their spat, Raine calmly dialled for Sheena to ask for advice. "They say elven blood only, but I'm not sure whether Mizuho natives count on that list. Can you offer any help?" she asked.

"I'm not sure about that, because the elves have always been isolationist and secretive, even when the worlds reunited and laws were rewritten. If they insist on doing that, then there's not much we can do. Besides, as a way to get them to integrate with the world more, the Tethe'alla government set aside some land for their exclusive use. If Latheon Gorge is one of those designated areas, then there's not much you can do," the summoner described on the other line.

"I guess the second best option is to look for zircon, which is pretty common, except we have no information on the area's mines in the area," Raine explained, "We won't have much luck locating the zircon, no matter how common it is, I'll tell you that."

"Actually, I'm going after Gnome right now. He's the summon spirit of the earth, so I assume we might get some of that information out of him. Maybe we could meet back at Mizuho and figure things out from there?" Sheena suggested.

Raine agreed, much as she did not like the decision. But then again, were they genuinely better off over here, with a race that had been, at best, reluctant to accept the outside world too openly? Slipping her phone away, she went to fetch the two boys, who were still giving the elf a good piece of their minds. "And when the world gets torn apart again, I'll be sure to blame it on you!" Genis shouted as he was led away. Turning to Raine, he had a strange looking smile on his face. "I sure told him, now didn't I?"

"Why don't we focus on what's important first?" Raine insisted, filling the two in on their current status. The two listened with interest as Sheena would be brought in to help them again, but also dismay as they had very little to work with again.

They strolled back to the parking lot silently, unhappy with the lack of progress on their part. But suddenly, Lloyd had an idea. "There is somebody that may be able to help us. All this time we were so busy looking for sources in Tethe'alla, we totally forgot about him." Lloyd immediately pulled out his cell phone and dialled a number as Raine and Genis looked on, wondering who this mystery person might be.

* * *

At forty thousand feet in the air, Captain Arthur Noishe was on his laptop typing furiously to prepare for a meeting with the Tethe'alla military. Since his unit had been investigating the Cruxis activities in the last few years, the Tethe'alla military had asked him to cooperate with them in the attempts to weed out Cruxis in both countries once and for all. He was currently on a flight to Exire to meet with the military when suddenly, his cell phone rang, causing an annoyed expression to spread across his face. "This better be good," Noishe muttered as he pulled out his phone, "Hello?"

"Captain Noishe, this is Lloyd. I really need your help. We're outside Latheon Gorge and the elves won't let us in. Do you know what it takes to get permission for us to go in there?" Lloyd asked from the other line.

"I would say talk to the elves over in Heimdall, since Latheon Gorge is an area that was set aside for them when the worlds were reunited. I was there when they signed that agreement, so I guess anything you need to know you should get from Heimdall," Noishe replied, "Anything else you want me to elaborate on? I'm very busy right now."

"I guess the second thing is why the elves are so secretive? I mean, I've known throughout history that they're very isolationist, but it still doesn't explain why they rejected all of us," Lloyd pointed out.

"The elves were isolationist because throughout history, they were the only group that had control of mana. It's part of their abilities, nothing more, nothing less," Noishe explained, "But when humans began intermingling with elves several thousand years back, some elves were fearful that the abilities would be spread to humans. Knowing their proud race, this was blasphemous, so a lot of them became resentful. Likewise, the humans saw this intermingling as the creation of a super race that could destroy their relatively elitist position in the world, so they became fearful of half-elves as well."

"But to hold this grudge for thousands of years, isn't that kind of overdoing it? I would like to think that humans, elves, and half-elves can all get together and work out their differences. Life is too sacred for these races to bicker over minute details like that," Lloyd retorted strongly.

"Maybe, maybe not," Noishe gave a nonchalant reply, "It's not like efforts weren't made. I was there to see the negotiations, but to make the claim that you could just have them work out their differences is premature. My former owner made that mistake, and it nearly soiled his entire legacy. All I can say is work with what you have right now, and once my meeting in Exire is finished, I'll see how else I can help you."

As they ended the conversation, Noishe returned to his laptop, but did not continue typing. Rather, he froze for a while and struggled with his thoughts. It was true that he had a meeting with the military, but he contemplated hard over his options with them with regards to Gil. His mole called last night after a Cruxis mission was disrupted, but ended up being arrested. As usual, Gil requested that Exire police call Marshall or Noishe to bail him out. But because they were from Sylvarant, Exire police required an extra long period of time to deal with the customs and such. It gave Noishe some time to think about the condition they were in.

"Marshall called the military to inform them of Cruxis' presence in Tethe'alla, and right now I have to give a talk. I wonder if I could give them information on the identity of our mole," Noishe murmured to himself. The dilemma was a simply a matter of getting the military onside with Gil versus risking exposing Gil's identity should the military hover too close to Cruxis. Either way could be risky to them, and Noishe realized that it was a brick wall in either situation.

Noishe continued to contemplate this as the plane landed and he boarded the military escort vehicle. He was so deep in thought that he nearly forgot to get out of the vehicle as they reached the military briefing hall. "Today, we have the captain of the Major Crimes Unit from the Iselia Police Department with us. His unit has been observing Cruxis for the last few years in Iselia and he's here to share some of the findings with us. Let's bring him on, Captain Arthur Noishe," the announcer introduced.

Noishe thanked the announcer and took the stage. Glancing at the audience, he could see that all were military personnel, with most in uniform and some even with badges on them. Noishe guessed that these were higher ranking members and came to hear the talk to better help their future decision-making process. Taking a deep breath, Noishe began, "We were first brought to the attention of the group now known as Cruxis about ten years ago, with a single case of homicide in Asgard…"

And Noishe continued throughout the speech, he could see the military personnel jotting down notes, with their superiors focused on him, faces stoic and eyes glaring. It was as if the entire world's security depended on Noishe, which to an extent was true. By the time Noishe had finished, he had pretty much touched up on all the events leading up to the present day, minus the identity of the mole. "All I can say is that the mole had been observing Cruxis all this time and had a good knowledge of what they're planning. It's only a matter of when and where they will piece their final invention, and how they plan on using it," Noishe concluded.

After entertaining a few questions, the meeting was adjourned and Noishe packed his laptop away before being approached by another man in uniform. "Captain Noishe, I'm in charge of the Major Crimes Unit in the Exire Police Department, and I also have some information on Cruxis that I'd like to share with you," he informed the captain.

Noishe glanced at the man before him. He was of medium height, above-average built, with a round face and a balding head. Noishe held his laptop closer to his body as the Exire captain continued while they exited the briefing hall, "Two nights ago, we were told by your Chief Anthony Marshall that a Cruxis event would be happening, and true to his word, we were called last night to the warehouse district to deal with a case. We did find a Cruxis operation, but it seemed like their leader got away with their loot. There was, however, an interesting member that mentioned your name when we brought him into custody. He wanted us to contact Marshall or yourself. After attending today's talk, I'm guessing this is the mole you're talking about. Can you come to the station with me?"

Noishe's heart skipped a beat. It seemed like his plan to keep Gil's identity under wraps was being threatened, as the Exire Police Department already had some idea who this was. But nonetheless, Noishe went along, as he could still try to keep Gil away from the military. As he was led through the station, he listened to his Exire counterpart. "We can still keep him for a few more hours before he can be released, and he said he didn't mind waiting for you, so we're keeping him away from the main cells right now. He's just in the far back," the captain described, leading Noishe into the end of the hall.

Noishe took a look at the cell and saw a familiar face. "Can you give us a few minutes?" he requested as he stepped in. As the captain left, Noishe stepped up to the bench, where Gil sat up to meet his friend. "I heard you were involved in another Cruxis group, and this time there were humans involved," Noishe stated.

"That's right, and they are starting to develop a rivalry with me," Gil responded, explaining all the events of that night to Noishe, who wrote it down with interest. After bailing the undercover police officer out, they prepared to leave the police station when the same captain had stopped Noishe again, asking the two to enter his office.

"The incident at the warehouse district was also interesting in the sense that the local naval base was also involved," the captain explained as Gil and Noishe entered, closing the door behind them, "I've been told by military high command that they also had someone inside Cruxis, and that's why they were there as well."

Gil and Noishe looked at each other apprehensively. "You didn't tell them about Gil's identity, did you?" Noishe asked.

"We didn't even know Gil was a mole until you just got here, so there's no way we can release that information. I understand that there's a certain amount of risk should the two moles be seen with each other, and that's why both the military and I have decided not to reveal their identities until the time is right," the captain assured Noishe.

But that did not satisfy Gil, who had a plan hatched in his head. "I don't mean to be rude, but is there any way in which I can contact this other mole at all? I mean, it's going to be more effective in bringing down Cruxis if we at least know of each other's presence," he pointed out.

This time, both captains looked at Gil with intrigue. "What's your plan? Are you suggesting something better?" Noishe asked his friend.

* * *

In the rocky caverns known as the former Temple of Earth, Sheena, Mark and their escort slowly tiptoed down the narrow passageways. It was not a sight that they were prepared to face, as most other areas of summon spirits were neatly placed and easily accessible. "Maybe that's the reason why not too many people have studied this area," Mark mumbled to himself.

After snaking and winding their way further down into the cave, they finally saw a narrow path that led straight to the bottom. At the end of the path was a narrow opening that looked like it could only fit one person in at a time. It looked as if the opening was enticing them to come in, despite its unfriendly appearance. "Everybody, I want you to get your equipment ready. I don't want Gnome to unleash earth type mana and cause a huge crumbling of the cave," Sheena warned the group.

The group slowly entered the dark inner chamber, their footsteps creating a crisp echo bouncing off of the walls. From the dim lighting that they brought, Sheena could see a pedestal before her, most likely the area where the summoner would stand. Discretely, she made her way up to the podium while the military personnel gathered around the pedestal. The machines were clicked on, humming as they warmed up.

Sheena glanced around as the military prepared, nervously rubbing her hands as they completed their procedures. When they gave her the signal, she turned to face the pedestal and summoned the Earth Spirit. A bright flash illuminated the room, and before long, a large, mole-like creature holding a shovel appeared before everyone. "Oh, I have visitors. It's not often someone visited me. After all, I haven't had anyone come down here for hundreds of years," the summon spirit greeted the group.

Sheena glanced around at the group. Gnome sounded pretty friendly, so maybe he would be easier to deal with? Nonetheless, Sheena turned back to the pedestal and treated it like any other summon spirit. "I've come to ask for help. Our world is currently in great danger, and we require a piece of mana from every summon spirit to safe guard the remaining mana in the world from destroying our planet," Sheena stated, "Could you please be so kind and let us have a piece of your mana?"

But the large mole did not seem to take Sheena seriously. "Yeah yeah yeah, so what else is new? I already heard enough threats about the world being destroyed. Whether it's from a group that wanted equality, or a group that wanted to piece the broken world together, it's always the same. There's absolutely nothing new with what you're telling me, so why did you come pester me?" Gnome dismissed Sheena's claim.

Sheena was flabbergasted. What on earth was this summon spirit trying to prove? Every spirit she ran across was at least partially willing to help, but here Gnome shot her down completely. Undeterred, she tried again. "Our worlds are at stake, and every spirit is pitching in to help, so can't you at least give it some effort?" she pleaded her case.

Gnome chuckled. "In the past, they had to fight to get our powers, so if you're willing to battle me, then maybe we can move onto that topic. And by the way, I preferred it if you keep it a one-on-one, because last time I was summoned, they had a melee against me," he stated snidely.

And with that statement, Sheena could definitely see that she was out of options. There was no way that the military was ready to handle a battle with a summon spirit, but to get the mana piece, it seemed like a battle was imminent. She glanced desperately at the military escort, hoping anyone of them would offer a suggestion.

But to her dismay, there was none. "Gah, this guy is hard to deal with," she grumbled. Above her, Gnome watched the group with interest, as if he was taunting the group for their sad state of affairs.

But suddenly, Mark spoke up after giving the situation some deep thought. "Sheena, Gnome is the exact opposite to Sylph, meaning we've gotten the mana from his counterpart from Sylvarant. Maybe if we use the piece to summon Sylph, we may be able to convince Gnome to give his piece up," he suggested, "After all, Undine was the first to say that the piece could be used to summon the spirits, so why not try it out?"

Sheena glanced at the group apprehensively, unsure of the next course of action. But when nobody objected to the move, she merely returned to her mana-safe container that she obtained from the Palmacosta lab shortly after dealing with Efreet and pulled out the piece given by Sylph. After mumbling a few words, another flash of light covered the chamber and three fairies with butterfly-like wings floated above Sheena and facing Gnome, which seemed to have surprised the large mole. "Sylph, I haven't seen you guys since the world was put together again. What are you doing here?"

"Gnome, I already enlisted the help of Sylph in trying to protect the world. There is indeed a group of extremists with powerful technology that can control and disrupt all mana. That can ultimately cause the lives of all habitants of the world to be in danger. Sylph here bore witness to the destructiveness of their weapons, as the group attacked us when I visited Balacruf Mausoleum. I ask again, Gnome, please lend us your power," Sheena requested again.

This time, Gnome turned to the three fairies. "Uh, you didn't exactly tell me that the world was in danger. So what's the deal?"

"We haven't been truly summoned for centuries, so it is evident that the state of the world is not what it once was when it reunited," Sephie informed the mole in a calm voice.

"We were back at Balacruf when Sheena here showed up, and before you know it this group with all sorts of weird magi-technology appeared and made all the mana inside really shaky. That's when we truly realized that the entire world's mana could be at stake if we let them do what they're doing," Yutis continued, sounding a bit apprehensive.

"Yeah, and they looked awfully dangerous, so if we don't do something, we'll all be in big trouble," Fairess stated in her typical squeaky tone.

"As you can see, Sylph was extremely alarmed by the actions of this group, and only the mana from all summon spirits can stop this group from destroying the state of our world," Sheena summarized, "So I will ask one last time, will you help us?"

All eyes were on Gnome as the large mole made up his decision. Whatever the result would be, it was evident that the entire world was in his hands.

* * *

But as Sheena's team was dealing with one mole, Gil was on his way back to Cruxis headquarters, with the identity of another mole in mind. Back at the station, he suggested to Noishe that he might try to find out the military mole's identity and have the two sides working together without contacting each authority yet. "When the time is right, we'll contact our respective authorities and deal with Cruxis once and for all," Gil explained, "But until then, we pretend that the other side did not exist when we talk to you. That way, Cruxis won't suspect us of plotting against them together."

When Noishe and the naval base commanders did not object, it was decided from then on that Gil would observe Cruxis for their activities, all the while trying to decipher who the military mole was. Gil had this in mind as he stepped back into the compound, through the snaking passageways, until he reached the far room in the basement, where Rodyle could be found in his office with Vharley, Zelos, and another person.

"Gil, I'm surprised you managed to make it out alive, considering that Zelos here told us that you guys were outnumbered," Vharley half-stated and half-sneered.

Gil's mood soured at the mention of Zelos. It was evident that they still had the rivalry going on, with a lot of mistrust between each other. But hearing the news, Gil found another way to take a swing at Zelos. "He would know. After all, when we were fighting the police, Zelos was nowhere to be found," Gil shot back.

The Cruxis superiors and the mysterious man turned to Zelos. "What are you talking about? I was fighting along, but I was positioned on the side opposite to yours, so you probably just didn't see me," Zelos defended himself.

"I saw everything just fine, from the police breaking in, to Vharley leaving with the refiner out a side door, and even all the people that had been arrested. And in between it all, you were not in the fight," Gil emphasized, glaring at the redhead. It was evident that a confrontational atmosphere was at hand in the room.

But Zelos was not about to back down. "So what? Maybe I wasn't arrested by the cops, but that doesn't mean I never took part. Besides, you made it back without harm, so can't I say you didn't contribute either?" the redhead challenged, mimicking Gil's glare as he stared back at the undercover police officer, "It's not just one way, bud!"

"Zelos, you didn't even let my group arm themselves. You had a monopoly on the weapons, leaving us very weak. How do you expect us to fight?" Gil challenged the redhead. With the already tense atmosphere between the two, it was a miracle that they did not come to blows yet.

But Rodyle would have no more of this argument, especially with the Exspheres on the line. "Quiet, you two! This is not the time to assign blame!" he shouted from his desk. He angrily turn to Vharley, who received a fair amount of the half-elf's berating as well, "Your refiner just got shot dead, so who's refining Exspheres now?" he demanded.

Vharley thought for a while, trying to come up with someone. "There is one person that has the expertise, but I'm not sure how willing he is to doing it," Vharley suggested, "He used to work with the Lezareno Research Centre in Altamira, and we actually got him to do the Exspheres on the Combatir sisters. Maybe we can get him involved? Even if he doesn't do it, we can still force him to give us the research information, right?" He looked to Rodyle for a confirmation.

The Cruxis leader thought for a while, weighing his options. If the member suggested by Vharley refused all their offers, it would be difficult for them to proceed, so they must make sure full cooperation was at hand. "Tomorrow, take a few men with you to his place and make the offer. If not, then we'll use some rather interesting but effective measures in getting him to do it," Rodyle ordered.

Vharley nodded as he took note, but Gil was suspicious. "If this person worked for Lezareno before, won't we be placing ourselves too close to the military, since Lezareno often cooperates with them? I don't think it's a safe move for us, especially with my son being a refugee with the military at the time."

"And that's why we have this fellow here spying on their actions the entire time," Rodyle assured Gil, pointing to the unidentified man standing in the background, "He's been giving us information on the military's every move, and knows exactly where your son and his friends are. So relax, we'll make sure we don't harm him."

Gil looked to the side to see the mysterious man. He could see a stealthy character with dark, messy hair dressed in some unusual looking clothing. The character's eyes were cold and piercing, but also a bit troubled. It was as if he had a load to get off his shoulders, and used Cruxis to ease his burden. Kind of like me, Gil thought to himself. Clearing his throat, Gil approached the man and extended his hand. "I guess I should thank you for keeping your eye on my son then. How should I address you?" Gil asked.

The figure did not return the handshake. Instead, he introduced himself in a strange tone, partly filled with hatred and partly with sadness and bitterness, "Kuchinawa. You can call me Kuchinawa."

* * *

So right now, there's another mole sent into Cruxis by the Tethe'alla military, and with Kuchinawa making his debut, there could very well be yet another source of interest claiming a stake into this conflict. What will this all mean? Wait until next time...


	24. Sabotage, Espionage, Historical Wrongs

Thanks to **I.K.A. Valian **and **Mandrakefunnyjuice** for the reviews. Also, a shout out to **Poet Bucky,** a fellow Canadian who wanted to pay me back for helping her on her fic "Family Roles". Anyway, she wants repay me by reading all 23 (now 24 chapters) of this fic in one shot. Bucky, relax, you don't need to force yourself. This fic isn't going anywhere so there's nothing wrong with being a bit behind.

Also, this coming weekend, on November 11, it's Remembrance Day in Canada, where we honour our veterans, and I want to dedicate this chapter to the veterans. Please, even if you're not Canadian, at least pay your respects and appreciate all the good things they've done for us and keeping our countries safe and free. Oddly enough, some of the stuff in this chapter falls into the themes in which they fought their battles on. Coincidence?

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

"What? You're saying they're starting to lose appetite? Colette hasn't eaten at all today?" Lloyd asked into his phone, concerned at the situation at Mizuho. It seemed like Colette and Lynn were doing worse, losing their senses of touch and taste, and became fatigued easier. Frank was getting desperate for the cure, and it did not ease his mind that the elves of Heimdall were not being very cooperative.

"Dr. Brunel, I assure you, we're doing everything we can…" Lloyd insisted. But as he spoke on his phone with Frank, Raine was on hers speaking with Sheena about a different topic, one that might give the group a breakthrough.

"We've managed to get Gnome, the spirit of earth, on our side," Sheena informed the female half-elf from the other line, "I asked him about the usual area in which zircon can be found, and he said there are a lot of mines where it was available. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the labs we've visited may have an extra piece or two."

Raine nodded, satisfied with the results. "If that's the case, then maybe we'll visit Sybak or Meltokio and have them reserve a piece for us. By the way, I heard something called the unicorn's horn that could amplify the cure's power. It may very well save both my grandmother and Colette altogether. Have you heard anything about that?" she asked.

Sheena thought for a moment. "I've heard of something like this in Mizuho. Part of the legacy my namesake left was that she travelled with a healer, or your namesake, and this technique was taught to some Mizuho doctors who blended it with some of our traditional medicines. If we talk to Tiga we might get something on that," she responded.

After agreeing on their next move, Raine updated everyone, including the military escort, on their decision. Since zircon was available from most labs, they felt a simple call to a lab would be sufficient, and seeing that Sheena would look up the unicorn's horn and the extra mana fragment, the only thing left was the mana leaf herb. But that would prove more difficult than expected, since they were rejected once already by the elf guard at Latheon Gorge, and to go into Heimdall, an area that was otherwise isolated and suspicious of outsiders was like entering a snake pit. "But hearing what you just said about Grandma and Colette, we don't have much of a choice," Genis stated in a frustrated voice, the spat they had earlier with the guard still fresh in his mind.

Just as Lloyd contemplated this, his cell phone rang and he had to field another call. Luckily, it was the very person that he had to talk to. "Captain Noishe, are you done your meeting in Exire yet?" Lloyd asked the former Protozoan.

"Yes, I'm completely done with it. Apparently, it is pretty dangerous here, with the Cruxis base operating in the city, so it's best if you steer clear for now," Noishe replied, "What do you want help with right now?"

Lloyd quickly explained their situation to the police captain, who seemed intent to go to Heimdall to help them out. "I'm not sure who you ask permission from to visit Latheon Gorge. When my former owner did it, he went straight to the leader of the village. I'm assuming that we can probably do the same. I'll meet you there as soon as I can get a flight down there. They're so secretive that they only allow flights on specific dates, and I'm just hoping that today is one of those days," Noishe explained.

"Do you think you can convince the elves that we should be allowed to go into the gorge?" Lloyd asked nervously.

"Well, knowing my former background as a member of both the Kharlan War and the Reunification group, I think they might just cut me some slack. Besides, there's someone in Heimdall that I know quite well, and he may just be able to help you out," Noishe replied. After wishing Lloyd good luck, he ended the call.

* * *

The weakened but sleepless Colette Brunel struggled out of her bed as she stood on the balcony overlooking Mizuho. During her illness, she found out just how terrible it felt to have her freedom limited, as she was forced to watch from her bed while Cruxis hunted down her friends. It gave her a sense of helplessness, as she realized that any failure would ultimately make her the next target for Cruxis.

But in an ironic twist, Colette also realized all this began because Cruxis targeted her in the first place, courtesy of that sneak attack back in Hima. Should her condition worsen, there might not even be a need to bring a cure back, for herself or Lynn Sage. She glanced back at her room, through the door and into the hallway as Frank and Phoebe continued discussing her condition with the medical staff. Colette was grateful that despite being such a burden, her family and friends stuck by her all this time. Sighing, she leaned on the porch and stared out, pondering her near future.

"Why so glum, Colette?" a gentle voice asked from beside her. Colette wheeled her head to her right and saw, standing at the next balcony, was Lynn Sage. The elderly woman looked eerily similar to Colette's current condition; baggy eyes, slimmed down weight, and slouched back. But there was also a strange sense of optimism in her eyes, giving off a slight twinkle that really brightened Colette's day.

"Nothing. It's just that Lloyd and the others have been gone for so long, and I couldn't help but think of all the trouble they're going through right now. Not just with Cruxis chasing them, but with getting the right materials for a cure as well," Colette explained, "Earlier, Dad told me that they were denied entry into Latheon Gorge because it was an elves-only area. Now they have to go to Heimdall to get permission. I want to believe Lloyd and Raine can come through, but I just don't know right now," she stated, with the last line sounding like it was almost blubbered out.

Lynn smiled. "Yes, Heimdall. I remember that place. It's where my son, Genis and Raine's father, first met his wife," she recalled.

Colette looked on with interest, her hand feeling the Exsphere on her sternum as Lynn told her story. "My husband John Sage was a businessman and commercial lawyer, and my son Kloitz was very much involved in the family business. I usually stayed home to manage the books and finances, but the two would go abroad to explore new business opportunities. They were in Exire negotiating a deal when an elf from Heimdall called us asking if we were interested in expanding into there. We found it unusual, since most elves were unwilling to accept outsiders. John and Kloitz decided to check it out, and that's when Kloitz met Virginia, Genis and Raine's mother."

"So what happened next?" Colette asked, "Did the Heimdall elves let you into their village, or were you pretty much unwelcome there?"

"Both attitudes were prevalent then, because there were some elves interested in making a change in Heimdall and welcomed more people in. But there were also those who clung to tradition and took the isolationist approach. Virginia and her parents were in the reformist camp, and didn't mind having John in Heimdall. Amidst the negotiations, my son fell in love with Virginia, much to the chagrin of some elves," Lynn described.

"But in the end, they did end up getting married though, so I'm assuming that the business deal fell through?" Colette was eager to find out more.

"The deal did not fall through, as customers that Virginia's family catered to were suspicious of having humans involved, and that caused many bad feelings among the village. In the interests of maintaining a good friendship with Virginia's family, John left without the deal. The reformists viewed John's move as a sell-out, blaming him for not having the courage to bring about change, while the isolationists said good riddance."

Colette looked on, thinking carefully to herself as Lynn continued, "But that did not stop Kloitz from having a long distance relationship with Virginia. Before long, the two would make regular visits to each other. A few years later, Kloitz and Virginia would announce to both families that they were planning on getting married, which caused a bit of an uproar in Heimdall, considering John's history there."

"Wow, the story of two star-crossed lovers, separated by distance and feuding races," Colette commented. It was a sobering thought that even without the rampant racism of the past, feuding races still harmed populations, tearing up friendships and creating more distrust among people.

"Oh, it didn't end there. After their marriage, a lot of elves looked elsewhere for goods. They bought from others rather than Virginia's family business. This is true for both traditional isolationists, who were leery of her family's connections to a human, and progressive reformists, who did not want to be associated with the then controversial and cowardly, at least in their eyes, John Sage. Her family ran the business for a few more years before finally selling and retiring," Lynn explained, "A new group then took power in Heimdall, and they happened to be in the traditional camp, and were aware of John's attempts to invest there. So, true to their isolationist ideals, they limited human access to Heimdall, toughened laws for outside investment, and made the Sage name nearly taboo. So when Virginia decided to go back to Heimdall to visit her parents about ten years ago, we were all surprised when she was allowed back in."

"And that's when she went missing, right?" Colette asked, "And later on your son and husband went to look for her but didn't make it back?"

Lynn looked at the blonde girl with a strange expression, half of her relieved that her story was told, but the other half pained at the ending. "That would be accurate, as Virginia never returned home. Six years ago, John and Kloitz got wind that someone matching Virginia's profile was spotted near Exire, so the two went to check it out. At that time, John hired a private plane from Exire to help him look around the surroundings to see if Virginia may have been marooned, but that plane ended up crashing, and I lost both my husband and son." Lynn took in a sharp breath, trying to contain the sadness.

Colette looked on, ready to cry herself as Lynn finished the tale. "And from that day on, I was the sole provider for Raine and Genis. Raine was sixteen years old at that time, a mature teenager to say the least, meaning she could take care of herself. But poor Genis was still a young boy at the age of six, meaning I provided everything for him. It was good that John's business left me with a small fortune, meaning I had some income to work with. Because I was his main motherly figure, Genis is very attached to me, and we have a very strong bond that persists even today."

Colette stood there silently, absorbing another sobering story. She truly realized just how many people in the world were victims to this tension, and even today the solutions were not clear cut. It worried her even more now that Lloyd and the others were headed to Heimdall, with Raine and Genis being the clear targets and would most likely face the scorn of the elves. "I don't know how to say this, but I can only genuinely hope that somewhere out there is a helping hand that could let Lloyd, Genis and Raine get into Heimdall. And I can only hope that the same could happen to us, so that we can get through this implant safely," she stated.

Lynn shrugged. "We all have our ups and downs in life and even someone with as much experience as I cannot escape this fate. I guess the best way to look at this is that life is throwing one more curveball at me even in this age. If I live through it unscathed, then I guess I really deserve to be long-lived. But either way, I look back at all the things that I've done, and I can honestly say that I tried to live as wisely as possible. So even if this is the end, I'm ready for it," she stated.

Colette nodded thoughtfully, pondering Lynn's words of wisdom as both patients returned to their rooms, gently closing the doors to the balcony. It would be an interesting night as Colette thought of the hardships ahead, and what she could do to overcome them. Knowing how strong Lynn was throughout her ordeal with the elves, losing much of her family, and raising Genis all by herself, it further motivated Colette to think positive, and continue to fight on to give Lloyd more time to bring back a cure.

* * *

In Ozette, Altessa was just enjoying a relatively peaceful afternoon when a strange group came barging onto his property. They roughly banged on the door, nearly kicking it down. The old dwarf finally staggered to the door, annoyed at the intrusion. "There better be a good reason for this," he muttered angrily as he undid the locks.

But the result would hit Altessa like a brick as the face of his former partner turned nemesis was revealed. Standing before Altessa was Vharley and members of Exire's Cruxis, each prepared to do some serious damage to Altessa's property should he not cooperate. "What are you doing here?" the dwarf stuttered, his face milk-white.

"I thought I'd pay my old friend a visit. Is that alright?" Vharley sneered, "Now are you going to let me in or do I have to do the honours myself?"

Seeing he had no choice, Altessa backed away from the door as Vharley and his entourage paraded into the house. With everyone in, Vharley gave a nod, and the group began trashing the place. Altessa could only gape at the scene.

"Here's the deal. Right now Rodyle wants another person to refine his Exspheres. The last one was shot dead by police in Exire. Since you're the only person that could do it, we're making you our go-to guy," Vharley offered the deal as his men destroyed parts of Altessa's house, "You were experienced with Cruxis before, and you did see what benefits you could get working with us. So don't be disappointing us, alright?"

Altessa glanced around the house, keeping track of whether it was his living room lamp that was broken or the kitchen's plates that were just shattered. Angrily, he turned back to Rodyle. "I have said it before and I'll say it again, no. I will no longer shake hands with the devil, especially with you, considering the betrayal you put me through when you manipulated me into doing the Combatir sisters project," he spat.

"The Combatir project was Rodyle's greatest achievement in Cruxis. Never did we imagine the use of Exspheres being revived and used successfully on a human. You received full credit for that, and Rodyle had always said he valued your expertise. That's why, despite you quitting Lezareno and not connecting yourself to Cruxis anymore, he's willing to welcome you back," Vharley replied smugly as more furniture was destroyed.

Altessa tried to remain calm, even as his home was being ripped apart. "Don't think you can threaten me, Vharley. I'm not afraid of your bluffs," Altessa retorted, "Even if you tear down my house, I still refuse to join you. Now leave immediately before I call the police," he whipped the door open and stood at the doorway sternly.

Vharley merely threw his head back and laughed. "What, you think the police would believe a hermit like you?" stepping up to him, Vharley jabbed his finger into the dwarf's chest, "You were one of Lezareno's best researchers, and Rodyle just offered you a chance to show your talents to him. If you went along, you could have had so much going for you. Think of the rewards that you may have gotten, and how much you would be revered. Instead, you chose to throw you life away by being a hermit," he spat.

Vharley then barked out some orders, and within seconds, the demolition crew left with equipment in hand, leaving almost every room in shambles. "One more chance, Altessa. Perhaps you like more persuasion in order to do it, but I'm sure we can work out something if you reconsider," Vharley stated as he stepped out. Altessa merely ignored him, glaring at the group in silence before slamming his battered door shut.

Vharley shrugged as they headed back into their vehicles. Nonchalant, he took out his cell phone and updated Rodyle on the situation. "I don't think the boys did a good enough job of convincing our friend of what's at stake. We trashed the entire main floor of his house and still he's stubborn as an ox," he explained.

"Let's get out the big gun then," the crafty Cruxis leader replied, "Since you're still in Ozette, here's what you should do…" Rodyle instructed Vharley on the next move, and when to carry it out, "If all goes well, he'll be joining us very soon."

* * *

There was a definite disadvantage for Gil to hang around Cruxis every time he broke up one of the operations. It was not the obvious reason of having suspicion around the group as to who was the mole, but rather the long wait for another operation as the leaders strategized on their next move. Bored as ever, Gil decided to explore the Exire Cruxis compound and see if he could make any new discoveries about Cruxis.

"There are surely a lot of hidden passageways and underground routes in this part of the building. That's not something you would see in a Sylvarant Cruxis headquarters," Gil mumbled to himself as he descended a steep, narrow flight of stairs. Below the usual levels of the building seemed to be a warehouse of some sort, which was not surprising to Gil, as Exire was located on an island, meaning most of the goods it received must come in from the outside, either by boat or plane. And given that the city had a large warehouse district, it would be to Rodyle's advantage to mix in his goods with the cargo around.

Just as Gil reached the end of the room, a strange part of the wall caught his eye. There seemed to be another passageway, albeit a secret one, that led further down to yet another chamber. Gil put his bare hand onto the wall, the cold concrete stinging his palm as he pushed to open it. When it would not budge, Gil tried shoving on a variety of places on the door, hoping to get something that made it work. Before long, Gil had ran out of options, and was about to give up, saving the discovery for another day. "There's got to be a way into there, but how?" he muttered.

Just as he was about to leave, he heard footsteps from the staircase he came from earlier. Realizing that he might be spotted, he sneaked off to a corner, away from the centre of the room. Hiding behind an old boiler, Gil crouched down between the pipes and squinted out to see who the mysterious figure following him was.

Much to the undercover police officer's surprise, it was a certain redhead that he became very acquainted with during the last few days. Why's Zelos here, Gil thought to himself. Remaining silent while repositioning himself to get a better view, he tracked Zelos all the way to the same wall he was at earlier. Instead of tapping on the wall the way Gil did earlier, Zelos moved his hand to the side of the frame and uncovered a plate of some sort. He pressed in some numbers, and within seconds, the wall that blocked Gil's way slowly opened. Gil's jaw dropped in shock as Zelos strode into the new passageway. Undaunted, he followed the redhead through this newly discovered area, with luck on his side as the wall did not close until after Gil made his way through. Gil tiptoed his way down the hall, keeping his own footsteps relatively silent while listening for Zelos' footsteps to see where he was headed to.

After a minute, Gil finally reached the end of the hallway, only to be greeted by a sight that bordered between horrific and inhumane. Before him was some type of barrack that reminded him of a prisoners of war camp. There were a series of dark living quarters that made the slums of any metropolis looked comfortable. A sickening stench filled the air from an open area for urinating, and with one glance at the surroundings Gil realized how ill these people must be. Gil guessed that most of these people must have been kept captive here for months, if not years. What a sick scheme this is, he thought.

Positioned near the mouth of the passageway, he craned his neck to follow Zelos' movement. The redhead could be seen marching off to one of the furthest cells from the pathway, crouching down to the ground level to look a prisoner in the eye. From Gil's angle, it seemed like the prisoner was female, relatively small in size, and, like Zelos, had bright red hair. Although Gil could not make out anything that was said, he could see that the young lady was visibly upset, flailing her arms and almost wailing, while Zelos tried to calm her down. "Is this the hunny that Zelos is always talking to?" Gil asked himself.

Just as Gil pondered this, Zelos stood up to leave. He said a few more words to the young lady in the cell, his hands moving in an assuring manner trying to calm her down. "Don't worry, I'll come back for you," he could be heard saying. Gil was caught out of position, unprepared to make a quick escape. He tried to get up before Zelos could turn to the passage, but ended up tripping and falling to the floor in a heap.

Unfortunately for Gil, it would blow his cover. Zelos marched over and towered over him. "Gil Irving. What are you doing here?" he snarled. At that time, Gil could only rack his brain, trying to think of something to save himself. With his cover blown, his operation in Cruxis might just end, with himself becoming one of the prisoners held here.

* * *

After a relatively long wait, Captain Arthur Noishe finally met up with Lloyd and the Sages. It was an uncomfortable situation in Exire, as some elves were not too keen having a human and two "half-breeds" in the village. They received a number of death glares from people passing by, all the while hiding in an inn that, luckily, was part of the reformists that welcomed humans. "Sorry for being late, but there was only one flight from Exire to here. It goes to show how suspicious they still are of the outside world," Noishe stated as he sat with them in the lobby.

"We're getting an awfully high number of dirty looks here," Lloyd stated, "So who's your mysterious friend that could deal with this problem?"

"No worries, he should be arriving any moment now," Noishe assured the group. And just as this was said, an elderly elf marched through the doors of the inn. Noishe got up and quickly shook his hand, bringing him to the group and making the introduction. "This is Ricardo, an elf I've known since my days as Arshis. He met one of my former owner's friends and it is through that incident that we ended up becoming friends ourselves. Being one of the elders of Heimdall, he has considerable sway in the council of the town's leaders, so I'm sure he can help you out."

Ricardo sat down with the group, but gave Genis a strange look before beginning the discussion with Lloyd and Raine. Puzzled, Genis furrowed his brow and glanced up at Noishe, who listened on intently. After getting all the details, Ricardo asked everyone to follow him as they moved through the town square, back into the glares of most elves.

Throughout the little walk, a certain young half-elf was getting uncomfortable. "Captain Noishe, they aren't exactly making us feel welcome," Genis stated, sticking close to the former Protozoan, "And why did Ricardo give me a weird look earlier?"

Noishe hushed the youngster. "Ricardo used to have a racist streak going for him. He was highly suspicious of other races and liked using his ability to manipulate mana as a tool for displaying elfish supremacy. But after the reunification of the worlds, a small event happened that gave him a change of heart," the former Protozoan explained.

Genis pondered this as he entered a large building at the village centre. Looking at the architecture, Genis could see that this was a very old building, with distinctive elfish designs and emblems, nothing like the thing he saw in Iselia or anywhere else. His eyes wandered so much that he did not notice the group entering the main chamber, going past some crimson drapes before reaching their destination. "Come on Genis, you're behind. Let's go," Noishe called from the entrance as Ricardo held the drapes open for them.

Apprehensively, Genis stepped into the main chamber, where he saw a long table lined up before him, similar to the hearings held by the military. The exception was that the military panel only had three people, and their goals were to gather information. Here, it was Genis and company coming in, cap in hand, begging for help from an otherwise unresponsive crowd, especially towards external affairs.

Genis plucked up enough courage to stare at the panel as Ricardo joined them behind the long table. "I strongly urge the elders to hear out these folks, as their story may indicate that the elves may have to prepare for battle again," he announced.

The elf elders remained silent and poker-faced as Lloyd and Raine updated them on their current situation. Genis positioned himself next to Noishe, who listened intently, all the while observing each elder's expression and posture. When the hearings were finished, Noishe was ready to step forward. Confused by the actions of almost everyone, Genis followed the police captain closely like a small duckling, pondering the next move.

"Again, the elves wished to have a peaceful life in Heimdall. And again, humans and half-elves ruin it for us by declaring war on each other. Where have we heard that before?" the elder seated at the centre dismissed Lloyd and Raine in an unimpressed tone. The others nodded in agreement, giving the group another round of rough treatment.

But Ricardo was undeterred, defying his colleagues by speaking in support of the group. "How can you consider that the attitude of the proud elf race," he challenged the panel, "We have someone in dire need of help, and here's a chance for the elves to show the world that we still care. How can you be so blind to this opportunity?"

The elders merely scoffed at this attempt. "You may be an elder, Ricardo, but compared to most of us, you have the least experience on this panel. Why don't you leave the discussions to a decision to the rest of us?" one elder snidely replied.

"Yeah, why are you defending these races that constantly degraded our culture and nearly brought destruction to the planet twice?" another elder retorted to Ricardo.

As the elders berated Ricardo, Noishe realized that he had to intervene. "Elders, please. I'm sure Ricardo has an explanation for this. Can you at least give him a chance?"

As the elders calmed down, Ricardo took his chance to speak. "I know the history of the relationship between elves and other races have been rocky at best, and the fact that we never integrated into the outside world was because of our scepticism of them. But just think for a minute. When we did not receive the outside world as warmly as we should have, was it truly their fault or were we somewhat to blame?"

The panel remained silent as Ricardo continued. "Many times Heimdall spoke of reforming, many elves have left the village to learn what the world has to offer, and many elves within the village have taken their own small steps to be more receptive of outsiders, and what do we end up doing? Shunning them, calling them race traitors, or even changing our policies to make it difficult for them to accept outsiders. I don't know about you, but that doesn't exactly make us an innocent party. Throughout history, elves took a back seat and not pitched in at all in making changes. But when times are bad, we start pointing fingers at other races, all the while thumbing our noses at their attempts to make things better. Since when did the proud elves become such cynics?" he ranted.

At this time, Lloyd also spoke up. "I may be some teenager living in a middle-class suburb in a bigger city like Iselia, and I may not be a history buff, but I can honestly say that the only way we can prevent another disaster between races is to have each race take its course of action to rethink its relations with the world. We've already come a long way since the reunification, but we can do so much more. It's not too late to get involved now, so can you at least give this some consideration?"

The elders murmured to themselves after Ricardo and Lloyd made their pointes. Genis could not help but admire the elf and the human, both trying to convince the world to change. He could not help but reflect the two types of blood running in him: human and elf. The two races had a rivalry that nearly decimated the world, but still produced outstanding individuals that paved such a bright future for everyone. Inspired by their words, Genis was determined to help the group in his own way as well.

Finally, they turned back to face Lloyd. Genis, Raine and Noishe looked on as the elder in the centre spoke. "We understand that lives are at stake; not just those of your friends, but in general everyone as well. But can we trust you that the leaf herb and other elven goods will not be used for any purpose other than healing?" he asked.

Lloyd nodded. "I firmly believe that no life should ever be sacrificed, whether they are individuals forced to be part of Cruxis' sick experiments, or victims of Cruxis' larger plan to control the world's mana. Once we heal Colette and Mrs. Sage, we're willing to return to Heimdall and repay you for your actions," Lloyd assured the leader.

After some discussion, the elders decided to grab the papers granting permission for Lloyd and company to go into Latheon Gorge. As they fetched the papers, Ricardo approached Lloyd and thanked him for the support, as it was not often when a human and an elf would openly agree with one another like that. "In Heimdall, it's almost impossible to see that happening, unless you're a very open reformist," Ricardo told Lloyd.

"But here's the question though," Lloyd asked Ricardo, "What inspired you to change and become open? Assuming you're all very long-lived, you must have seen at least some of the changes throughout the years, especially those times when the Reunification heroes were travelling the world trying to establish the new world order."

"I have, and it's during this time that I was truly changed," Ricardo admitted, "Before the worlds were reunited, I had typical isolationist mentality, where I didn't like outsiders, and didn't want them to learn the elven arts. But while I was a young elf, my mentor in mana control taught one of the half-elf heroes a powerful move to help him better prepare for the final fight. I naturally rejected that, but when the hero challenged me to fight afterwards, I was happy to oblige."

"So what happened next? Did you have the mana duel after the Reunification, as promised? And who won?" Lloyd asked.

"It was fierce, with both sides casting all the spells we knew. But in the end, when I was caught off guard avoiding a tree from collapsing on me, the youngster cast the very spell my master taught both of us, Meteor Storm, knocking me out and he was crowned the winner," Ricardo described, "From that day on, I never belittled another race ever again, knowing how valuable he was to the group, and how much he fought to save us."

The group nodded, impressed by the story. "Out of curiosity, what's the name of the hero? Who's this half-elf that taught you to change your ways?" Raine questioned.

Ricardo smiled. "Believe it or not, his name was Genis. Genis Sage."

* * *

Another bombshell! Now Noishe is bringing in yet another person who has connections to the original group into the mission. Does anyone remember who Ricardo is? What will Vharley and Rodyle have in mind for Altessa's refusal to cooperate? And what exactly was the situation that Zelos caught Gil in? Find out next chapter...


	25. Revelations, Part 1

Reviews came from **Mandrakefunnyjuice**, **Gijinka Renamon**, and **I.K.A. Valian**. Likewise, **Poet Bucky** is now up to Chapter 13 of the story, so about halfway there. Some of you have discussed with me about the pace of the story. While I'm glad that you guys are raising such great concerns, and I'm more than happy to make changes here and there to make it more fast-paced, you also have to realize that the story cannot be "rushed" and must go at a pace that makes it feel most comfortable.

This chapter does try to speed up the story a bit, as I cut out a bunch of scenes that I originally wanted to include, but I still can't guarantee action and fast pace every scene from now. I'm still experimenting how to put action, suspense and history into the story at a compromised pace where all 3 components are addressed adequately. I hope we can put this issue to bed and move on.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

Genis' jaw dropped to the floor in shock as Ricardo released the identity of the half-elf hero. Never in his life did he imagine that one of the heroes shared a name with him. And not to mention that he was also a half-elf, meaning these half-breeds, viewed as despicable, disgusting beings in the past, contributed so much to the current state of the world. Deep inside, Genis could not help but feel a sense of pride for his race, but also inspiration in the sense that he should carry out his ancient counterpart's legacy.

"And that's why I was looking at this young fellow here," Ricardo stated, pointing at Genis, "Because he has a strange resemblance to the original Genis Sage. I wouldn't be surprised that this youngster will succeed in doing great things as well."

Genis tried not to make eye contact with the crowd as everyone's eyes honed in on him. "I don't think I'll ever be as great as my counterpart. I mean, I can't even control mana properly, let alone learn that powerful Meteor Storm thing you mentioned."

Again, Ricardo looked at the young half-elf. "Don't worry, I can teach you a few skills in being controlling your mana. Ever since I've met the reunification heroes, I no longer believe that the elven art of mana control belongs solely to one race, and that's why I'm willing to teach it to others. Humans are welcome to learn it as well, provided they find some way to make their bodies accept mana," he explained.

"Actually, in the past, it was Exspheres that helped people control mana, along with a nasty cocktail of chemicals injected into the body," Noishe chimed in, "But knowing what Exspheres can do to people, it was in the best interests of everyone that my former owner decided to get rid of them. Pretty ironic, no?"

Just as this was said, the elders returned with the papers in hand. Since she was the only one within the legal age limit, Raine signed the papers that granted the group permission to go into Latheon Gorge, with Noishe as the witness. After picking up a couple of maps, the group was on their way. "Ricardo and I are coming with you, by the way," Noishe told the group, "Ricardo and I know the area quite well and we can help you locate the areas where the herb grows most abundantly."

As the group headed out, Lloyd could not help but approach the police captain again. "You said you knew the heroes quite well, and you even brought in Ricardo to help us. What problems did the original group encounter when they went through their journey?" he asked, determined to find out more.

"I do see some eerie similarities among the Kharlan War, the Reunification, and our current situation. All three groups are fighting a source that is destroying the world. Although it's not as obvious today, I definitely say there's an idealist view in this group. Both the Kharlan War and reunification groups were led by idealists, and judging from what you said back there, I say you're a bit of an idealist as well," Noishe described.

"I just don't understand why these groups can't get along. All the past efforts put into ending racial discrimination and there's still tension? Why?" Lloyd demanded.

Noishe shrugged. "Not everything in the world is what it seems. There are factors outside one's control that can lead the world in a direction that nobody could anticipate. Even if one's intentions are good, it may lead to unwanted consequences later on. My former owner had to learn that the hard way," he replied as they reached the exit gates.

Lloyd was silent as he thought that one over. It related back to all the historical things that he learned throughout this trip, whether it was from Noishe, Ricardo, or even his own father. He could not help but think back to his own mother as well, who was an ardent believer of the reunification group's ideals, but still felt that some of their methods were flawed, and used those points to write her novel. What could this all mean then?

But at the least, Noishe gave him an encouraging word. "I do agree with you in the sense that it's up to each individual to make the change themselves, because only individuals know what they are most comfortable with and how much to change," he stated as they reached the military escort, "I just hope that in the following days, we can give people a revelation and show them that even more needs to be done. But until then, I say let's find the cure and heal your friends."

* * *

"What do you mean there's none available? We want them now, this is an emergency," Mark insisted into the phone. For the past few hours, Mark and Sheena tried desperately to get any of the labs in Tethe'alla to let them have a piece of zircon for the cure. Although both labs had them available, they were in short supply and the research departments did not want to part with them.

But despite his persistence, the labs remained firm in their positions, and insisted that no zircon would be delivered out until there was another shipment, which would not be until the beginning of the new academic year, over a month away. "I understand your position. I'm sorry to bother you," Mark surrendered, hanging up the phone. Deep inside his head, he had a few choice words for the research centres, but chose not to reveal them in fear of damaging their working relationship.

Sheena looked at her supervisor as they neared the Temple of Darkness. "Not a good sign when they won't even let us have a piece of zircon, a relatively common element on this planet," she sighed, shaking her head.

"Well, do you have another source other than research labs that may have the element available and abundant enough so that we could get a piece?" Mark asked.

"Try the Lezareno Company. I'm sure Regal Bryant may have extra pieces being used by his researchers that he could spare. If not, then maybe he could give us some of his connections so we could get a piece easier," Sheena suggested, "If there's one thing Mr. Bryant is good at, it's getting his connections onside with us."

Mark shrugged. Other than ordering equipment from them and meeting the CEO last time, there had been relatively few contacts between the Owen lab in Palmacosta and the company's technology program, meaning he did not know them well. "How about the information from Mizuho? The unicorn horn and stuff?" Mark asked as he dialled.

"Tiga said he'll try to get onto that as soon as possible, but from what I heard he had some business to attend to in Exire, so my Grandpa will have to take care of that," Sheena responded, checking her equipment one last time before entering the dark cave.

Mark nodded. Just as he mulled it over, Regal picked up from the other side. "Mr. Bryant, this is Dr. Mark Owen. I have a couple of things I need to discuss with you about. First of all, do you have any zircon available? We want it for the cure," he requested.

"There should be some in the labs, and we do have a back-up supply, so we should be able to loan you a piece," Regal replied, "What's the second thing you want?"

"Sheena was mentioning about the unicorn's horn healing strategy, but Tiga isn't available now, leaving Igaguri to the job. We're wondering if your company has ever researched this issue and maybe you guys could help Igaguri out," Mark suggested.

"I have someone in mind, so I doubt the unicorn's horn for strengthening the cure is required. I'll certainly ask our researchers to help Igaguri should he want assistance. Speaking of which, I should probably contact him again," Regal told Mark.

"Well, whatever the case, we must get that cure as soon as possible. Last time I checked, Lloyd and company were having a hard time entering Latheon Gorge to get the mana leaf herb, so we have to gather everything else quickly, since we don't know how long the elves may stall for." After thanking the Lezareno CEO, Mark ended the call and focused on the cave. "What do we know about Shadow, the spirit of darkness?"

"From past documents originating from Mizuho, it says that Shadow tends to split his powers into five smaller beings, and must be put back together before he can be summoned," Sheena explained, flipping through her notes.

"So we have to go through a wild goose chase just to get the five little ghosts back together, just perfect," Mark fumed. Turning to the military escort, he requested that they enter the cave with them. "The more people doing the chasing, the better."

As the group filed into the dark abyss, a lone figure stood on the hills observing them the entire time. As every member disappeared into the darkness, the mysterious made his way down to the entrance of the cave. "So, Darkness is it? Well, looks like I'm given a mission that's easier than expected. With the army running around looking for the little ghosts, it gives me ample time to set up. Once they come out, it's ambush time!"

* * *

"So that's who she is, your sister," Gil stated solemnly as Zelos told him the entire story of the hidden chamber. They were in an isolated warehouse located at the corner of the Cruxis compound. Originally, Zelos was about to attack Gil for spying on him back at the tunnel, but when Gil threatened to expose his secret to Vharley, Zelos became much more cooperative, and offered to tell Gil his secrets in exchange for Gil's silence.

"Seles means absolutely everything to me. She was sickly as a child, and was never the healthiest person around. So when Cruxis viewed her as a possible target for their experiments, I immediately grew worried. It didn't help that Rodyle had me reveal everything about my family and connections when I first joined, so it was useless lying to him about her condition," Zelos revealed, "He insisted that we bring her to him, and I had to do it in order to stick around in Cruxis, so I had no choice."

"I know how you feel. My wife was killed ten years ago by Kvar's Cruxis, and I had been in Cruxis ever since, trying to protect those around me," Gil responded, "Just like you, I've been of the belief that one must keep one's enemies closer. The only way I could protect my son, who is my only family left, was to observe Cruxis the entire time."

Zelos gave Gil a strange look that bordered somewhere between helpless and determination. It seemed like Zelos was thankful that Gil understood his situation, but also determined to save his sister from this terrible fate. In Zelos' eyes, Gil saw in the redhead a younger version of him, around the time when Anna was first killed. The same hard-nosed attitude was there, as Zelos sought to help his sister in any way.

But nonetheless, Gil had to warn the younger man of the dangers. "We may be part of Cruxis for a while now, but I can assure you that they're still very dangerous. These are half-elf extremists we're talking about, and who knows when they'll turn against us," he stated, "I know this first hand, because when I first worked with both Magnius and Kvar, they tried to get rid of me as quickly as possible. And even as a ten-year member of Cruxis and one of Forcystus' most trusted, I still don't feel safe."

"That's why I think the best thing to do is to watch each others' backs, and find a way out should Cruxis ever attack us," Zelos suggested, "We're the only two humans here outside of Vharley that truly know what's going on, and knowing that Vharley is only in it for the money, he's not likely to be backstabbing by Rodyle. So when it comes down to the end, we have to get your son and Seles out of here. Are you with me on this one?"

Gil looked sceptical as Zelos extended his hand. Throughout his ten-year career at Cruxis, Gil had met many Cruxis members and knew who to trust and who not to trust. Dell and Chatman became great partners because they were among the first to work with Gil when he returned to Iselia. But could he genuinely trust Zelos, a person he just met and had a rivalry with? Also, how could Gil guarantee that Zelos told the truth, and Seles was truly his sister? Or they might shake hands now, but Zelos could betray him later?

But the dilemma would be even deeper for the undercover police officer, because he realized that whatever plan Cruxis had in mind, it would be put to use soon. Noishe told him that despite the refiner being killed in a shootout, Rodyle might have another source waiting. Knowing the final weapon might bring the world to its knees, time was working against them. If Zelos was the key to his success, then Gil had no choice but to cooperate. Reluctantly, he moved his hand forward and gripped Zelos' hand.

Zelos smiled in relief as he managed to get Gil to trust him. "I knew I could count on you," he sighed, "You should know how dangerous Cruxis can be to your loved ones."

But Gil remained unconvinced, his expression unchanged. "I still have to warn you that even if we do work together, there's still a danger in the way we're handling the situation. Until further notice, we're still under the command of Vharley. So if we do anything, chances are he'll be our obstacle," he pointed out as he released Zelos' hand.

"Well, under that situation, there's only one thing we can do," Zelos replied, "As I always say, if he's useful, then we make use of him. We're only sticking around because he orders everyone around, which in turn reveals enough to me to free Seles. If you want to save your son, I say you should keep your eyes and ears pealed on him. You should see if he's showing a weakness that you can take advantage of, and get you and Lloyd to safety. Know what I mean?"

Gil cocked an eyebrow, unsure of this idea. Somehow, there was something in the tone Zelos put his statement that made Gil feel quite uncomfortable. But nonetheless, he took what was granted to him and pressed no further. He slowly pushed the warehouse door open, the hinges squeaking sharply as he exited the warehouse.

Zelos was about to follow when suddenly, his cell phone rang. He took a glance at the caller ID and calmly flipped it open. "Hi hunny, how are you?" he asked, stepping out of the warehouse. He watched Gil move off into the distance as he pushed the door shut, resulting in another shrill creak from the hinges.

"How is my work coming? Well, I just met this very interesting individual that I think I'll be working with real soon," he continued speaking into his phone, using that sickeningly flirtatious tone whenever he spoke with any charming young woman, "It's going to be an interesting experience, since he's from Iselia."

The phone conversation would continue throughout the warehouse district as Zelos returned to the street. He finally ended the call when he hailed a taxi, hoping in and telling the driver his intended destination. Smiling as the driver pulled away from the district, Zelos knew he would have an interesting time ahead of him.

* * *

In another part of the world, it was nearing evening in Ozette, and the citizens were on their way home for a relaxing evening with their families. Like most of those living in the nearby suburbs, Altessa was also trying to cleanse his mind of the events of the past few days. He finally managed to finish cleaning up most of the mess that Vharley and his demolition crew left in his house, making the main floor look relatively useable for now. Flopping down onto his couch, he took a deep breath and just closed his eyes.

But nothing could prepare Altessa or the citizens of Ozette for what was about to happen next. A series of grey vans pulled up on the outskirts of the suburbs, and within seconds a series of small cannons were set up. Unlike the usual projectile shooters, these were more sophisticated, with charging mechanisms and a storage gauge of some sort. "According to these plans, the Ozette suburbs are, like most suburbs, very spread out, but with only one escape route. So if we send one person to every corner, we should cover everything and get everyone," Vharley announced as his team moved out.

As everyone prepared, Vharley returned to the lead van, which also happened to be the one with the most communication devices. Slipping on a headset, Vharley called back to Exire, where Rodyle was waiting for his call. "Everything is set, Rodyle. They're going to fire as soon as I give the call," he informed his superior.

In his office, Rodyle nodded. Signalling to the assistants around him, he had them prepare the mana release of the Exspheres packed into the cannons. Recently, Rodyle developed a new type of technology that could control the mana from Exspheres from afar, and was willing to try it on a set of unrefined Exspheres. "Once this works, then it doesn't matter what Altessa thinks," he smugly bragged as his team did the work.

When the half-elves reported to Rodyle, he immediately informed Vharley that the Exspheres were indeed and ready for operation. Vharley relayed the orders to the shooters, who were scattered at various parts of the suburbs. Within seconds, a series of hums could be heard throughout the neighbourhood, followed by loud explosions. The mana shot out of those cannons headed straight for the residential zone, slamming into several houses, causing collateral damage through the suburbs. "Direct hit," the shooters all reported to Vharley, who nodded in satisfaction.

The residents, at least those not harmed by the blasts, filed out of their homes, trying to escape the carnage. There was a lot of yelling and screaming, with some people running around in panic. "It's going exactly as planned," one shooter updated Vharley, "They're almost all onto the streets right now."

"Good, just what I want to hear," Vharley replied. Turning to the drivers of the vans, he signalled to them to start their engines. The vehicles zipped through the street and into the only road that led into the neighbourhood, blocking off the exit. Trapped, the residents felt the nets closing in on them, their hope slipping away.

And the rest was history. The scared residents, in total disarray, were picked off one by one and gathered into the vans. When the vans were nearly full, Vharley sent in a large trunk, herding off even more people into the Cruxis vehicles. Almost fifty residents were kidnapped after the attack, and countless more were dead or injured. "Not bad for one night of work," Vharley commented as they returned to their rendezvous point.

As his team counted those captured, Vharley called his contact from the airport, who had promised him a cargo plane to take him back to Exire. "We have all the people here, so we'll meet you at the airfield. Don't worry, Rodyle and I will assure you that you'll be richly rewarded, given we'll pretty much taken most of the finances from Kvar and Magnius' Cruxis accounts," he informed his acquaintance.

After a head count, the drivers reported to Vharley the number of hostages taken. Vharley nodded, and told them to take off for the airfield first, but have one van stay behind so he could catch up later on. "I have just one more phone call to make," he stated.

As the vans and the large truck roared off, Vharley stepped aside to get some peace and quiet. Flipping his phone open again, he dialled in a familiar number, and waited patiently for his target to answer. After about three rings, a gruff voice could be heard greeting the bald man. "Altessa, old friend, how's your evening? You haven't been paying attention to the news right now have you?" Vharley sneered over the phone.

"Vharley," Altessa replied coldly, "I heard and felt explosions from the suburbs, and hearing your voice I know you must have been behind this."

"That's right, and if you turn on the television, they should be broadcasting the emergency right now. This would explain what exactly happened in the neighbourhood and where the residents are," Vharley retorted.

Suspicious of the claims, Altessa marched to his television set and flipped it on. Changing to the local channel, he could see the emergency breaking news report of the attacks. Homes were on fire, and residents were clinging onto each other or people in uniform, some crying for help while others dashed frantically through the streets, looking for their missing loved ones. The damage of Cruxis was done, and it was harsh.

And throughout this, Vharley continued to taunt the dwarf. "Go ahead. Continue to live like a hermit all you want, but the lives of these citizens are in your hands. You already have the blood of one Combatir sister on your hands, so why not make it another fifty people or so? It means nothing to you, right, you old fool?"

Altessa was stunned at the actions of his former colleague, the cruelty of the attack leaving him speechless. Turning off the TV, he returned to the phone conversation. "So what exactly do you want from me?" he demanded.

Vharley threw his head back and laughed. "What else do you think, old man?"

* * *

It was nearing evening in Latheon Gorge, where Lloyd and company scoured through the hills and valleys looking for the mana leaf herb. Or more like Lloyd, Raine and Noishe, as Ricardo took the chance to train Genis in improving his skills in mana manipulation. Ricardo managed to pinpoint the reason why Genis always felt dizzy when he released a spell. "It's because you've been releasing the mana all at once, and without actually holding back," Ricardo explained, "Whenever you do that, your body will not be in equilibrium with the environment, causing you to feel light-headed."

And for the entire afternoon, the aging elf trained his young half-elf friend, trying to get him to use mana in the appropriate way. Ricardo was rather stubborn in his ways with Genis, making him do it again whenever he faulted. It was not long before Genis removed his vest and his fingerless gloves, and rolled up his sleeves, trying to cool down on this windless summer day. "It's not easy to be a mana master, but you have the potential. So use it well to save your friends, and even the world itself," Ricardo reminded Genis throughout the entire day.

By the time the sun neared the horizon, Genis had learned a lot about controlling mana, and was ready to call it quits. "Ricardo, did your mentor ever train you that hard?" he asked, grabbing his vest and gloves from the ground.

"My mentor Crowley was extremely hard and demanding, and always expected the very best out of me. Back then, we used to get up at the crack of dawn, go into the forests, and train until dusk," Ricardo described, "So you can imagine how fast and well I learned the spells. By the time I was Lloyd's age, Master Crowley was about to teach me the Meteor Storm technique when your namesake showed up."

"Yeah, Genis Sage, I'll never get over that," Genis commented, still marvelling at the reunification hero that shared a name with him, "I heard that half-elves are very long lived, so shouldn't it be that he's still alive even in recent times?" he asked.

"Yes. In fact, he passed away about fifty years ago, during Arthur's last days as Fenrilra. It was after his death that he became a human and a police officer. He may be called Arthur now, but in my mind he'll always be Noishe, the dog-like creature that accompanied the heroes on their quest," Ricardo recalled. But returning to the issue of Genis, he continued, "Poor man, I really wished I could have helped him out, knowing all the pain he went through, and how he had lost all his friends from the past."

Genis nodded. He knew how bad it would feel, growing up to a ripe old age, but outliving all his friends and watching them before his eyes one by one. Somehow, he realized that he was to face that fate as well. "So he lived to like five hundred while all his friends died? That's really sad," Genis murmured, trying to bottle in his sadness.

"Actually, that's a myth. Half-elf lifespan is around two to three hundred years, but not five hundred. Elves live to five hundred, but nowhere near the millennium mark most people like to think," Ricardo corrected Genis, "But yes, your counterpart actually exceeded the expected longevity of a half-elf. He recorded most of the history at this time, including disagreements the Reunification group first had regarding the first moves to reform the new world."

Genis cocked an eyebrow. He had heard bits and pieces about this from Raine and Lloyd, but never directly. "So what exactly happened?" he asked Ricardo.

"There were disagreements between members about what action to take. There were aristocrats in the group, and they were keen on changing the legal system to provide equality laws. They were somewhat supported by a summoner turned diplomat, who felt diplomacy and communication between the nations was the best way. Genis was initially supportive of his friend Lloyd Irving, Lloyd's namesake, to remove the weapons of the day, Exspheres," Ricardo explained, "But in the end, Genis went with his sister, Raine's namesake, and felt education would have the greatest effect. Because of these different approaches, each side were sceptical of the other's efforts, and felt they didn't contribute enough. It led to some fracturing within the group, and almost ruined all their efforts."

"So was this what Captain Noishe meant when he said some group members had to learn the hard way that things aren't always what they seemed?" Genis asked.

Ricardo nodded. "That would be a good way to put it," he replied, "I had to learn the hard way that races other than elves were worthy, and the same can be said for some of the heroes, but especially Lloyd Irving. He felt that the best way to save the world was the complete removal of Exspheres. Ideally it was a good move, but he underestimated the contempt that most people still had of half-elves, and the Desian organization led by former Kharlan War hero Mithos only cemented that belief further into people's minds. Taking away something superficially doesn't change what's inside," he concluded, tapping his head.

"But if the reunification group's ideas were so perfect, why were they not widely accepted?" Genis challenged, "Pretty obvious that salvation for all is the best way to go."

Ricardo shrugged. "Words on paper are exactly that; words on paper. We can write down as many of these ideas as we want, but if nobody buys into them, then they won't work. Back then, it's much harder to get people to drastically change their opinions just to fit these ideas. Humans, elves, half-elves, and even dwarves weren't too willing to give up what they had just to move forward," he retorted.

Just as they reached the climax of their little debate, Lloyd, Raine and Noishe returned from the hills, their silhouettes contrasting the sunset behind them as they carried a small plant ing a container. "We finally managed to get it," Lloyd sighed, out of breath as he flopped to the floor, "after a struggle against this oversized weed."

Genis cocked his eyebrow again, wondering what Lloyd was referring to. Noishe saw the confusion and explained the situation. "Just like when I first came here, there was a large plant that grew right next to the herb, and refused to let us retrieve it. Back in those days, we had to fight it with swords and mana and such."

Genis nodded his head, seeming to understand. "So how did you do it this time?"

Noishe smiled. "Simple, I pulled out my gun and unloaded a couple rounds into the plant. The sucker snapped like a twig," he answered, guffawing in laughter.

* * *

"Ozette has just been attacked, and we've been asked to go help out with the damage," one army officer informed Mark and Sheena as they exited the Temple of Darkness, spreading the bad news to all his comrades, "Igaguri and General Botta are pretty much in damage-control mode right now, and we have to go help out quick."

Mark and Sheena glanced at each other nervously. They did not expect Cruxis to attack this quickly, and with Ozette located near Mizuho, Sheena could not help but think about the risks her hometown might be in for.

But before Mark could inquire more, a voice from the hillside interrupted the military. "Then let me show you another attack right here!" it announced. They looked up to see a strange man's shadow, with a group of attackers located behind him. Because of the darkness, they could not make out their attacker's face, but Mark could have sworn that he had heard the voice somewhere before.

The military wasted no time preparing their defensive. Knowing that their mission was to get the mana piece from Shadow out of there safely, they put themselves into a defensive formation and pushed Mark and Sheena to the back. Two military personnel escorted the researcher and his assistant out while the rest of the battalion stalled for time.

But that did not see to deter the attacker and his men. "You take on the military, while I'll go after the summoner. I want to take them out myself," he shouted. Within seconds of the command, the sounds of gunfire could be heard in the region. Yells and screams could be heard as a loud explosion rocked the hillside, throwing Mark and Sheena to the ground despite their distance away from the fighting. At this time, the mysterious attacker closed in on them. "There's no escape now," he snarled.

That was when Mark caught a glimpse of the attacker, and easily recognized who it was. "Kuchinawa, I can't believe you've aligned with them," he stuttered in fear.

"Believe it, my friend, and my mission is to take you out," he retorted angrily. He hurled himself at the two military escorts, who could not even prepare their guns as the Mizuho native attacked. As the two military personnel struggled against Kuchinawa and his team, they told Mark and Sheena to get to the vehicles and leave as soon as possible.

Sheena had reserve about leaving their escort behind, but seeing how they had little choice, she nonetheless hurried off. Mark led the way as they rushed through to the vehicles, all the while making sure that the container with Shadow's mana fragment was not damaged. By the time their vehicle took off, they were out of breath, hyperventilating and reflecting on their brush with death. "Are you alright, Sheena?" Mark asked.

Sheena nodded, still too afraid to turn around and look back at the battle. "But seriously, that attacker, Kuchinawa, seems to know you and is holding something against you. Or else why would he attack you like that?" she demanded.

Mark tried not to make eye contact. Sheena made a side glance at her supervisor, knowing that he must have been trying to hide this fact for a long time. The determined stare finally cracked Mark's armour as he revealed the truth. "Yes, I do know him, since we were kids, in fact," he looked up at Sheena, his eyes filled with sadness and even remorse as he revealed the identity of their attacker, "He's my brother."

* * *

Despite the faster pace, I still managed to add in a twist in here. So Kuchinawa and Dr. Mark Owen are related, I assume you know what that means? And now that Gil and Zelos know about each other's loved ones, how will their alliance move forward? Until next time...


	26. Revelations, Part 2

Reviews from **Mandrakefunnyjuice, I.K.A. Valian, **and** Poet Bucky, **who finally caught up completely with us. And while we're on that topic, another fellow Canadian, **Cloud-Strife-Wannabe,** is trying to copy Bucky by plowing through all 25 (now 26) chapters at once. Wow, makes me feel so proud to be a Canadian, with all that dedication and stuff...

Anyway, this chapter I dedicate to **Fenrir of the Shadows.** The main reason for this, other than the fact that you've been a follower of this fic for a long time, is that your namesake, Fenrir (the large wolf from the Temple of Ice) will be making its debut in this chapter. So Fenrir (the writer, that is), I really hope you show up and cheer your counterpart part on. This will be fun!

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

Sheena stared in shock as Mark revealed his personal history. "Kuchnawa and I are brothers, born to an army sergeant and a summoning expert. I didn't go by the name Mark before. Instead, my parents named me Orochi," he explained.

"So that means your parents were the same people in the Volt incident?" Sheena asked nervously, noticing the connection between their families.

Mark nodded. "It was thirty years ago, and I was only ten years old. Kuchinawa was seven, and I recalled taking care of him while our parents left on that Volt mission. We were staying with a family friend when we heard the news that our parents were killed in that freak accident. I still recalled how we felt. It was a mix of sadness, shock, and even anger. That day changed our lives forever," he described, "From then on we moved to an orphanage and were put up for adoption. Because of the unfamiliar settings, I had to watch over Kuchinawa, making sure he wasn't getting into trouble. When someone picked on him, I was there to protect him, and comforted him whenever he felt scared."

Sheena looked on as Mark continued his sad tale. "Finally, after a few months, the Owens showed interest in adopting us. But the centre had a policy of adopting only one child at a time, meaning they could only take one of us. They decided to take me, and renamed me Mark. But they were kind enough to let me keep my old name and Mizuho heritage. Notice what I write for my full name: Mark Orochi Owen," he pointed out.

Sheena nodded, still trying to absorb all that information. "So what happened to Kuchinawa? I assumed you guys did end up going back to him, right?"

Mark sighed, trying to bottle in his emotions. "Kuchinawa became somewhat of a troubled child afterwards. Between when I was adopted to when my foster family made a second application to the centre, Kuchinawa had been bullied to the edge, and many times he tried to escape from the centre. He was branded as the problem child, and many times the staff had to complain of his erratic behaviour. By the time we returned to take him in, he had run away again. This time, nobody managed to find him."

Sheena gulped, anxious and nervous to hear the result. "So what did happen to him? A kid like that isn't exactly going to survive on his own, is he?" she asked.

Mark let out a forced chuckle. "He did survive, as a street urchin. He was taken in by this underground group of kids that basically had to steal food from others. They were led by a bunch of older kids in their late teens max, and they did some petty crimes and stuff. We did manage to run into each other again, but by then he had a grudge against us, and blamed the Owens and me for abandoning him, despite the circumstances."

Sheena put a hand on Mark's shoulder. "You shouldn't blame yourself. It's not your fault that things ended up that way. You were both victims of circumstance."

"But that wasn't good enough for Kuchinawa, as he told me he never wanted to see me ever again. I lost contact with him for a while, and didn't think about him as much anymore. I ended up going to university and doing a degree in history, and further doing studies in archaeology after my Bachelor's. But on the day of my convocation where I was to receive my PhD, he showed up, approached me, and even congratulated me. I thought it was the end of the feud, as he was friendly towards me, and even asked me to give the Owens his regards. I truly believed that he forgave us all for what happened, but really he's just channelling his anger elsewhere," Mark concluded, nearing tears.

Sheena was frozen. She did not know how to approach Mark and help him with his problem. On the one hand, she felt sorry for her supervisor in the sense that two brothers were torn apart due to this generational conflict; on the other hand, she also felt guilty because it was a mission led by her own grandfather that put them in this situation. "Did Kuchinawa hold it against my grandfather for what happened?" she asked timidly.

Again, a forced chuckle. "Seeing the way he acted, I'm willing to bet that he holds it against the entire world," Mark replied, "Whatever the case, I'll have to face him sooner or later. It's just a matter of dealing with what we have first, and saving the world from Cruxis before they kill us."

"But that would mean you guys are fighting again, since he's with Cruxis right now," Sheena murmured as their vehicle continued its way to the military airfield. A lot of thoughts flashed through Sheena's mind, as she figured that Kuchinawa would be after his brother and herself in revenge for what the Volt incident had caused. And speaking of the Volt incident, Sheena realized that she too had to face her fears and tackle the electric summon spirit in order to complete the spirits, not easy with her being traumatized by all the stories of her grandfather's failure and all the deaths Volt caused. It was branded into her mind since she was young that she was the girl whose ancestor caused the deaths of many brave soldiers all because of some crazy plan to gain a new source of energy.

But knowing that the world was on her shoulders, and the deaths of Mark and Kuchinawa's parents indirectly linked to this, Sheena realized that this was her chance to redeem Igaguri and show Kuchinawa that there was a positive way out. Taking a deep breath, she regained determination to truly complete the task and save the world.

* * *

The next morning, at the elf cabins near Latheon Gorge, Lloyd and company were packed and ready to move on to the next phase of the cure finding mission. The leaf herb was safely packed into a cooler, and the group was to contact Sheena to confirm whether a zircon piece was available. As they discussed on their next move, Ricardo approached Raine with a special request. "Is it alright if Genis comes back with me to Heimdall? We were training earlier and Genis was interested in learning more, so I'm hoping to bring him back to train him up further," he asked the female half-elf.

Raine was surprised at the request. "Well, considering the fact that we're refugees right now, I don't see our separation as a good option," she replied, reluctant to agree.

But Ricardo assured Raine that nothing would go wrong for them. "Heimdall has been one of the safest places in Tethe'alla, so Genis would be fine," he told Raine, "Just let me teach him a few skills and I'll return him to you."

Just as Raine pondered this, her phone rang, the caller ID displaying just the person she wanted to speak to. "Sheena, what do you have for me?" she flipped open her phone and asked, hoping that she managed to get some zircon.

The group looked on tensely as Sheena updated Raine on their current situation. Finally, when they ended the call, Raine turned to face the group with her face paled. "The good news is that the Lezareno Company did have extra zircon. If we wanted a piece, all we have to do is to go to Altamira and ask them. George should have a piece ready for us, or so I'm told," she explained, "The bad news is that while we were looking for the leaf herb, Ozette had been the target of an attack, and it was believed that Cruxis was behind it. That means the military has been stretched thin, and we'll have to be pretty much on our own for the next few days," she concluded with a grim and solemn tone.

The group remained silent, too shocked to speak as they pictured the quiet town near the forests fire-bombed by Cruxis' mana guns. Knowing how far this group went, they knew that even with Lynn and Colette cured, they were still unsafe. "It'd take a miracle to save us now," Genis moaned, "We're all doomed!"

"Don't say that, we're going to get through this," Lloyd said firmly, "We're going to rescue Colette and your grandma, and Cruxis is going down afterwards."

"And how do you suppose we'll do that?" Raine retorted, taking some wind out of Lloyd's sails, "We must focus on what's important right now, and get to Altamira and grabbing the zircon. We're still lacking the mana piece, and we can only hope Sheena is working on that part. But according to her phone call, she's so busy running around the Temple of Darkness gathering the five separate entities of Shadow that she couldn't get to dealing with that. That, plus Shadow's notoriety for being unwilling to communicate, made Sheena's life more difficult. She doesn't have too many chances left, you know."

While the human, the elf, and the half-elves deliberated on their next course of action, Noishe received a text message from Exire. It revealed that a member of the military's Mizuho division arrived in the city and required briefing on the current Cruxis situation. Again, Noishe was summoned to discuss the issue with the military. Knowing that this might be their last chance before the final push into Cruxis, Noishe decided to break up the group. "We have to deal with this immediately, so whatever decision you guys make, and where you choose to go, make up your minds now," he insisted.

Raine stared at the ground, as if something crawling out from the soil fascinated her. "If we're being threatened either way, then it doesn't matter where we go. So if Genis will learn something and be safe in Heimdall, then I say go for it. I assume the captain will be heading for Exire, so I guess Lloyd and I will go to Altamira by ourselves then," she decided, "But whatever the case, watch each other's backs, okay?"

* * *

Back in Iselia, Dell and Chatman were again summoned to see Forcystus. It felt odd for the two to go by themselves, given that Gil was dispatched to Exire. Dell waited patiently outside the door while Forcystus could be heard having a phone conversation. Chatman, not exactly the patient type, sneaked up to the door and peeked through the crack. "What's taking so long?" he grumbled, trying to see what Forcystus was doing.

Inside the office, Forcystus was indeed speaking to someone, but it was not over the phone. Rather, Chatman could see the Iselia Cruxis leader speaking on some type of a long-distance radio or com-link, as if there was something special about the conversation that he insisted on keeping private, therefore needing his own separate line. Chatman could not read lips, but could tell that whatever conversation Forcystus was having, it was very intense, as the green-haired half-elf spoke in a very animated tone.

Dell finally had enough of his partner's antics, and sought to drag him away from the door. Chatman resisted at first, making the two go into a weird dance-like formation as they jockeyed outside Forcystus' door. After a few more minutes of this, Forcystus finally opened his door and summoned the two in. "And don't even tell me what you two were trying earlier," he said to the theatrical two, "I don't even want to know,"

As Dell and Chatman sat across from Forcystus, they felt a sense that the spotlight was now on them. Gil had been in here multiple times, and it still surprised them how calm he was sitting before this fearsome Cruxis leader. The butterflies in their stomachs flapped like crazy as Forcystus briefed them on their next move. "You guys usually work with Gil, but since he's in Exire, I have the perfect mission for you," he instructed them, the dark office making the tone just that much more commanding, "I just got word that Rodyle, with his invention nearly back on track, could very well use it against us. I know we've been told all along that he's agreed to work with us, but knowing that he's cunning and power-hungry, he could turn against us. That's why I asked you two to come here."

Dell and Chatman glanced at each other nervously. They would think that it would usually be Gil that took the bold moves, but to have them do it directly? That was almost unheard of. "Well, whatever it is, we should be prepared, I think," Dell replied.

"Good, that's what I'd like to hear," Forcystus leaned back on his chair, the dark shadows covering the top half of his face, "I want our branch to hack into Rodyle's system and take over his invention. I heard he finally managed to get an Exsphere refiner to manage his operations, but only after he blew Ozette apart. That's bound to catch the Tethe'alla military's attention, and put a big target on his back. Because of this, and in the interests of keeping our goal intact, we're taking control of the invention without him knowing. When you're ready, monitor the tech team and hack through his system."

Dell nodded, realizing that this was not a mission that they had an upper hand in. After all, how often did they get to experience working with technology and computers? "So, how does one hack in their system? Is it through the Exspheres, which supposedly powers this thing, or what?" he asked.

"The Exspheres are refined in such a way that they can release mana at Rodyle's command through his computer. But the machine is controlled by a separate computer, and that's the one we're going after," Forcystus explained, "Not only will we have Rodyle do the fuelling for us with his refiner, but we also go into mainframe and monitor his progress. It doesn't get much better than that," he beamed arrogantly.

But Chatman was unsure of this move. "Gil's still with Rodyle right now. If we start ripping up Rodyle's place, wouldn't Gil be in danger? I think we should inform him of the move and get him back here before proceeding," he suggested.

Forcystus shook his head. "Telling Gil means going through Rodyle's Cruxis, and that would arouse his attention. We have to act without him noticing, so no contacting Exire until we've taken out his branch," the Cruxis leader replied firmly.

"And leave him there to take collateral damage? I can't believe you!" Chatman exclaimed, "He served Cruxis for ten years, and was one of your top lieutenants, and you're going to thank him by leaving him in Exire to die while we take over Rodyle's system? What inspired you to call that a good idea?" Beside him, Dell was awestruck to see Chatman stand up for their human partner. Dell was also sympathetic to Gil's current situation, and was supportive to Chatman's attempt to stand up for Gil. But to go against one of Cruxis' top leaders just to help their friend? That might be just a bit overboard.

But Forcystus would not be swayed. The hard-nosed attitude that Iselia's Cruxis members had grown accustomed to could not be more prominent here. "My intuition tells me that this is the way to go, and it's never been wrong before," he retorted, "In this world where half-elves are considered inferior despite our superior abilities, it's expected that some lives will be lost in our struggle for supremacy. Just be lucky that it's a human rather than one of our own," he retorted coldly, his face re-entering the light as he stared daggers into Chatman, "My decision is final, so just carry out the orders and do no more."

A swift wave of the hand dismissed Dell and Chatman from the office. Dell was in deep thought as he pondered the possibilities before him. Obviously, it was not in their best interests to defy Forcystus, but knowing that they had worked with Gil so closely for the last three or four years, was it truly right to leave him in Exire and in harm's way?

But Chatman made his views well known, as he showed his strong suit of causing a scene outside Forcystus' closed door. "Intuition my foot!" he yelled, "So who's the moron you turn to if your intuition is wrong, you bombastic arrogant freak?"

* * *

News of the Ozette attack spread fast, as almost all corners of the world had at least heard about it, and paid close attention to the news to hear updates of it. Many were wondering whether their friends or relatives had survived the attack, or maybe they had been declared missing, captured by the extremist group identified as Cruxis. Most citizens had not heard of Cruxis before, so all this development shocked them very much.

One such individual also paying attention to the news happened to work in the Special Investigations Unit of the Iselia Police Department. There was still some time before her shift began, and she found herself sitting in the unit staff lounge, pouring a cup of coffee and paying close attention to the news. Being from Ozette and having a parent still living there, she was deeply concerned of the activities. It was three years since she was last there, and she recalled that her father was quite ill at the time. Her younger sister Alicia had gone missing not long that, and all she recalled was that she wanted to follow a lead to find her. After that, all she remembered was the same routine, day after day for the next three years: get into the police station and feed Forcystus any useful information.

"We have more news coming in, and it has been released by local police and even military officials that there are still fifty or so people not accounted for," the reporter stated as a series of bodies, both alive and dead, moved through the Ozette suburbs.

The female officer stood silently watching, negative thoughts racing through her mind as she tried to locate any sign of her father. The suburb attacked seemed like the one that he lived in, and she was intent to find out what had happened to him. "Where's Daddy? What happened to him?" she muttered to herself.

Unfortunately, no more footage showed up. "For those citizens around fearing their relatives may have been involved in this incident, we strongly urge you to call the Ozette authorities and confirm their identities," the reporter continued.

Hearing that, the young officer from the SIU took a piece of scrap paper from the recycle bin and pulled out a short pencil, furiously scribbling phone numbers down and fretting over her frail father's well-being. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she could not hear her supervisor calling her from the door. "Officer Combatir, our meeting is in five minutes. Are you ready yet?" Captain Eric Burton asked from the doorframe.

The officer looked up, caught completely off-guard. Her mind completely flooded with worry, so much that Burton could see it leaking from her eyes. "Presea? Are you alright? What happened?" he asked, concerned.

"Uh, nothing, it's alright…" Presea replied, trying to hide the note. But that would do her no good, as the television was still on, and Burton caught on to the newscast.

"The Ozette attacks?" Burton murmured, crossing his arms as he watched on for a couple of minutes, "You're from Ozette, right? I'm sorry, I should have known earlier," he apologized to Presea, "Is your family alright? Have you checked with Ozette yet?"

Presea tried to stop her superior from asking more questions. After all, Burton did not know that she currently worked for Cruxis, and the last thing she needed was to have him find out too much about her personal life and her connections to Forcystus. "Really, I'm fine. I'll just call Ozette after our meeting," she stuttered, becoming more flustered.

But Burton would have none of that. Known to be a compassionate captain, the heavyset man was famous throughout the force as a leader who showed great empathy to his unit, whether it be a family death or illness, or a fallen comrade, or whatever. Putting his arm around Presea's shoulder, he suggested that she take some time off. "We'll go for the meeting, but afterwards, go home and take some time to relax. Once you're all good, then call Ozette and find out about your loved ones. Take all the time you want," he stated soothingly, trying to comfort Presea.

Presea thanked her superior for his kindness, but again insisted that she would be fine. But Burton ended up raising a point that she could not possibly reject. "Right now you're one of the unit's most important people, since you're in charge of flushing out the Cruxis mole within us. That means we want you at full health and energy. Since this attack is almost like a family tragedy, I know how you must be feeling right now," he explained, "Take one week to relax, two weeks if you want to go back to Ozette to check on your family. After that, then you can come back to work with us, deal?"

* * *

While day shift was starting in Iselia, a military plane was approaching Falnoir in the evening. Known to be a snowy city due to the influence of the summon spirit of ice Celsius, it was never known to have a warm climate, even in the summer. As it landed on the runway and taxied onto the tarmac, Lloyd and Raine could see another military plane looking similar to theirs parked right next to them. "I'm guessing Mark and Sheena are already here," Raine informed Lloyd as they got off.

As they wheeled into the Flanoir branch of the Lezareno headquarters, they found themselves in a strange case of déjà vu, as Regal waited for their arrival in a conference room, with Mark and Sheena already seated. "I've heard everyone's concerns, so I guess we can get started into this matter. Lloyd, Raine, I've done some calling to Ozette, and the dwarven arts expert is not home. I'm guessing he must have been captured by Cruxis, but we have no time to worry about that," Regal explained.

Lloyd cocked an eyebrow as Regal droned on about all the ingredients for a cure. How could he be so calm about this when Ozette was just attacked and people's lives are in danger, he thought. But nonetheless, Lloyd forced himself to listen on as Regal went over all the available materials. "We have a doctor here in Flanoir that knows a fair bit of your current situation, and has experience with mixing dwarven medicines before, so he may be able to help you put the cure together," Regal concluded.

Raine nodded, happy with the result. "I guess we can update your doctor on our findings and the state of our current patients, and perhaps we could work out something from there," she agreed to the preposition.

Satisfied with the quick response, Regal turned to Mark and Sheena. "Tomorrow, you're going to be heading towards the summon spirit of ice. Now, I know it's summer, but the conditions in the area could very-well be winter like. Research from Lezareno shows that the influence by ice mana can decrease temperatures within the region in minutes, and that could lead to some unwanted consequences. And since the military is busy helping out in Ozette, you're pretty much on your own," Regal warned them.

"The weather is the least of our concerns right now," Sheena replied, "Cruxis seems to be onto us and is doing everything in their power to stop us so their plans can succeed. It didn't help that Mark's own brother is on their team."

Regal glanced at them in shock. He summoned George, who came with him to Flanoir, to escort Lloyd and Raine to the doctor's while he heard the two out. The elderly chief advisor to the CEO led them out of the building and into a waiting vehicle, leading them to the doctor's location. "It's nearing closing time for his office, so we have to hurry. If we can get the materials list to him, he may have it ready for you by tomorrow night latest. Then you two can be on your way to saving your friends."

Unfortunately, they were just too late, as the office just turned off its lights when they pulled up. Lloyd immediately charged out of the car, skidding himself to a stop just before the doctor, who was about to enter his vehicle as well. Seeing the situation, Raine and George hopped out as well, hoping to stop Lloyd before his could make a fuss. "Is there a problem?" the doctor asked the crowd gathered before him in a nonchalant tone.

George signalled to Raine to hold off Lloyd while he did the talking. "I'm George from Lezareno. Both Regal Bryant and I called earlier saying that we'd be coming to do a quick consultation with you with regards to some dwarven medicines," George explained to the bespectacled man. Gesturing to Lloyd and Raine, he continued, "These two are with me, and they're the ones that wanted to know about your dwarven skills."

The doctor took a gander at the teenager and the half-elf before him. "These two? They don't even look like they know how to decipher which is their left hand and which is their right," he snickered. Lloyd and Raine shot death glares at him, but to no avail, "Alright, since it's Lezareno, I'll do it, but you'll have to pay me later on."

"What? You've got to be kidding me!" Lloyd exclaimed. Again, had it not been for Raine, the doctor would be sure to lose his teeth. Even then, there was no guarantee Raine would not want to do the honours herself, considering his arrogant tone.

All this would have no effect on the doctor, who insisted on being paid. "I'm taking time out of my own personal hours to deal with your problems, so if you think you can get off for free, you have another thing coming. You can give me the request from Lezareno right now, and I'll look into that for you. Afterwards, George here can discuss with me about how I can receive my payment," he retorted smugly.

* * *

Things did not go as planned for Altessa, as he expected Cruxis to let the prisoners go in exchange for his services. But instead of living up to the promise, Vharley pushed the issue onto the dwarf by making him get started on Exsphere refining. "I won't take any action on the prisoners until I'm sure that the Exspheres are all good, old man," he snarled at the dwarf, the grimace on his face uncompromising.

And that's what Altessa spent his entire day doing, refining Exsphere after Exsphere, making sure they were all up to quality for Vharley. He did not want to touch those nasty things again, considering the number of lives he destroyed with them. But for the safety of all those in Ozette, he had no choice. Besides, there was no way the police or military would pay attention to him, not when all that chaos was still present. "He's right, I'm just an old fool of a hermit," he muttered to himself.

And by the time he was done the first batch, Vharley had seen enough. "Looks like your skills can be trusted," Vharley snorted, putting the boxes away.

"So I've done my part, now you live up to your part of the bargain and let those citizens go!" Altessa demanded, his voice rose in anger.

Again, Vharley howled in laughter. The arrogant tone caused Altessa's blood to boil even more, as his fists were clenched, wanting to sock the bald man across the face. "You seriously think I'll let you off the hook that easily?" Vharley sneered, "While you're still here, you're dealing with all the Exspheres first, then we'll talk about the prisoners."

Altessa could not take it anymore. He lunged forward at Vharley, hoping to deal some damage. But before he could even get close, two of Vharley's assistants jumped forward and restrained the dwarf, giving Altessa the beating of his life. Vharley only crossed his arms and snickered as he watched the two half-elves punched and kicked Altessa into compliance. "Take him away. Lock him where the other prisoners are," the bald man ordered, "We'll deal with him tomorrow morning."

The two men hauled Altessa through the very tunnel that Gil and Zelos had met earlier, and rudely tossed him into the far cell. Altessa's vision was still blurry after the beating, the Cruxis members probably dealing some damage to the side of his head. From the cell, he could hear the door slam shut and clicked. Resigned to his fate, he realized that he had become their prisoner, an ironic fate, considering that his experiments used to be conducted on these very people. Huddling in the corner, he could not help but weep.

His sobs were obvious audible enough to catch the attention of the prisoner in the cell just next to him. "Hey, are you alright?" a soft female voice asked.

Altessa looked up, locating the sound of the voice. It was a red-haired young woman, looking no older than the early-twenties. Altessa could tell that was probably captured here for a few years, considering her physical condition. "Are you alright?" she asked again, "Did they beat you? Are you hurt?"

* * *

The next morning, Mark and Sheena left extra early, heading straight for the Temple of Ice. They had no idea what would happen with Lloyd and Raine, if they could convince the doctor of even looking at their ingredients. A phone call from Raine to Sheena the night before pretty much confirmed the fact that they were dealing with a troublesome person. "I hope Mr. Bryant could talk some sense into him," she muttered.

But they would have their own troubles ahead of them. Indeed, true to earlier predictions, the closer they got to the temple, the cooler it got. The breezy winds picked up significantly, hurtling down the mountainside and biting into their skins. It was truly an unusual feeling, as the two shivered in their clothing, despite the fact that it was still summer time. The howls and whistles resonated through the icy area outside of the cave entrance, drowning out all other sounds as they entered.

But insider, the atmosphere was even tenser, as the battering and roaring of the winds onto the rocks above were muffled, creating a strange silence. Mark and Sheena slowly negotiated their way through the rocky cavern, being careful not to slip on any pieces of ice around them. "Seeing how this cave had been untouched by outsiders for centuries, I'm guessing this is probably old ice, stuff that has been collected and hasn't melted for a long time," Mark observed.

Finally, they reached the innermost chamber, a large dome-shaped room with the outside walls coated entirely by ice. Sheena stepped up to the platform and made the summoning call again. Seeing that Celsius was the disciple of everlasting ice, this did not come as a surprise to them. But what did come as a surprise was when the spirit showed up, there was not just one, but two forms materializing before them. "Well well, what do we have here?" the young woman figure demanded in an unimpressed tone.

"I didn't know there were two figures," Sheena whispered to Mark, "Maybe we can get the extra piece of mana that Raine wanted from here?"

"Don't be hasty, we don't even know what the dog beside her is," Mark warned.

"Uh, in case you're wondering, this is not a dog," Celsius interrupted, annoyed by Mark's terminology. "His name is Fenrir, and he's an ice wolf, a former guardian of this area. Show some respect to someone who's protected the area for so long, got it?"

Mark and Sheena stared at each other nervously. Celsius was the opposite of Shadow; while the envoy from the dark abyss did not talk in full sentences, making communication between them complicated, the disciple of everlasting ice and her wolf were too vocal, making the already unfriendly and cold environment even more hostile. For them, they could not tell who seemed more threatening: the cold glare from Celsius, or the large canine known as Fenrir, squatting beside her, baring its teeth and growling at them. Seeing the current situation, Mark and Sheena knew they faced a heavy challenge.

* * *

Please note that I am considering the existence of time zones in the Symphonian planet, so that's why day shift in Iselia means evening in Flanoir. Thank you for your reviews.


	27. The Urge to Save and the Urge to Rule

Reviews from **Mandrakefunnyjuice**,** Fenrir of the Shadows**,** I.K.A. Valian**, and** Poet Bucky**. **Cloud-Strife-Wannabe** is currently on Chapter 4, so still a ways to go. Keep at it, Cloud!

Anyway, I've always said that this story is modern, slight AU, and crossed over with The Departed. You've seen the modern and the crossover, but not the AU. This chapter will address that point, as you'll be given a different version of the ending of the Tales of Symphonia game. When reading this chapter, please keep in mind the original themes of the game, and the meaning of this following quote: "The urge to save humanity is almost always a false face for the urge to rule it."

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

Mark and Sheena nervously glanced at each other as Celsius continued her death glare and Fenrir bared its teeth at them. Despite the cold atmosphere, the two sweated up a storm, the beads of cold liquid dripping down their heads as they faced a threatening situation. "How should we approach this without getting killed?" Sheena asked Mark.

Unfortunately, Mark had no good answer for her. Even with his heritage from Mizuho, he did not know how to deal with this situation. The strange silence, with the exception of a low-pitched growl coming out of Fenrir, made Celsius grow more and more impatient. "So that's it? I have another two fools here to waste my time? I don't want to deal with this anymore. Fenrir, let's throw them out," she ordered the ice wolf.

As the two ice elementals marched towards Sheena and Mark, they realized they had to do something. Nervously, Sheena slowly began to spill the beans. "Wait, don't throw us out yet. We want your help. Our world is in danger, and we want the mana from each summon spirit to help guard the world from danger," she stuttered.

Again, a negative response from Celsius. "How amusing, since that was the story from the last group that came. Tell you what, if you can prove within the next minute that this threat is real, then maybe I'll help," Celsius replied. Backing off, she signalled Fenrir to scamper up to Sheena. The large ice-wolf was so close that she could feel his breath, the cold air circling her body and making it even colder. "If you can't even impress Fenrir, then forget about enlisting my help," Celsius called from behind the large canine.

Again, Sheena turned to Mark for advice. The presence of Fenrir did not make it any easier for them. Mark furrowed his brow, knowing that any failure could result in them being thrown out, or worse, permanently trapped inside this ice cave as large ice sculptures or crystals. "Whatever idea you have, can you please make it quick?" Sheena asked desperately, "I'm about to be turned into dog food here."

"For the last time, Fenrir's a wolf, not a dog," Celsius snapped, "You always have to say the opposite thing, right? When will you learn to show some respect to Fenrir?"

But something in that last line gave mark an idea. "Opposite, opposite," he murmured to himself, "What if we go with the opposite?"

Sheena and Fenrir both glanced at Mark, wondering what his thoughts were. Finally, the former Mizuho native looked up. "Sheena, remember when we were in the Temple of Earth, and Gnome was being disagreeable? You summoned Sylph and had the fairies convince him to help us. Maybe you can summon Efreet here?"

Sheena winced. Glancing back at Fenrir, she could tell that they were a hostile crowd, and sending in Efreet might make the situation more volcanic. But knowing that time was running out, it was a risk she had to take. Slipping aside, she opened the mana casings and pulled out the one for the red giant. Fenrir and Celsius looked on as with a loud poof, the elemental of fire appeared before them. "Celsius, I can't believe I'm seeing you again," Efreet greeted his ice counterpart in a strange tone.

"Efreet," Celsius muttered, sounding angry. Instantly, the disciple of everlasting got into battle ready position, with Fenrir back to her side getting ready to pounce. There was about to be a confrontation, and Mark and Sheena realized they were caught in the middle, and the only ones who could stop the fighting.

* * *

Back in Flanoir, the doctor had finished analyzing the ingredients for the cure. He stood in his lab as Lloyd, Raine, Regal and George surrounded him. "Well, have we found out more about the cure? Or better yet, if the cure works at all?" Regal asked.

"It was pretty much what we expected from the beginning," he announced, "It's a cure that allows the body to better control mana, and it works by neutralizing stray mana that an Exsphere tries to separate from the body. Your victims are constantly under threat by the Exsphere because it creates a mana imbalance within the body, causing the mind to disconnect with the body, and making the brain lose control."

Turning to each ingredient, he explained how piece remedied this problem. "The mana leaf herb is meant to return mana to each respective part of the body, preventing the mana from doing further damage. In extreme circumstances, the body can be paralyzed after the brain loses control. It's one of the very few natural ingredients that has this ability, so you can understand why the elves are so jealous of it."

Picking up the small piece of mineral, the doctor described the usage of zircon. "Courtesy of Mr. Bryant, who brought the piece down here, we have a piece of zircon available to us. It is a very common material, and is used to neutralize any other effects of the leaf herb. Only elves and half-elves, species with the natural ability to manipulate mana, can consume this herb without any side-effects. So for humans, zircon must be mixed into the cure with the herb, just to make it safe to use."

Then, leaving the materials on the lab bench, he turned back to the group and discussed the final two ingredients. "According to what Raine had discovered, it is also true that either a piece of mana, or a unicorn's horn, or even both, may be required to complete the cure. In reality, only one is needed for the permanent cure, and that's the mana piece. It's meant to both kick-start the original ingredients as they are put into the body, and to neutralize any other excess mana around."

"Using a piece of mana to control the existing mana in the body? Sounds pretty repetitive to me," Lloyd commented.

"But that's exactly how it works," the doctor answered Lloyd's point, "In order to get mana safely removed from the body, there has to be mana to start with. That way, both the leaf herb and zircon can join forces to neutralize any discrepancies within the body and render the Exsphere useless. Once that's done, your patient will be saved."

The group nodded in agreement, realizing that their cure was just about complete. But Raine was still unimpressed by the explanations given. "So if the unicorn's horn is not a requirement, then why is it being mentioned in literature? And we've also heard the story of the Rune Crest, which supposedly removes the Exsphere altogether, so which one is which and which is the one we should be using?" she demanded.

The doctor looked at Raine's expression and chuckled. It was evident that there was no hiding anything from this half-elf. "Someone's been doing their homework, that's for sure," he sighed in defeat, "The Rune Crest is the ancient term for this type of a cure, and it's meant to be put into the body with what is called a Key Crest, which is commonly used in ancient times by warriors that used Exspheres for enhancing their fighting abilities. But since they aren't used anymore, we can skip the Key Crest step and move to the real cure. Your patients aren't actively fighting right now, so with the body inactive, the mana can be controlled much better, therefore we can apply the cure directly."

Raine nodded. Realizing that they had to take one fewer step kept her at ease for the moment. "As for the unicorn's horn, it's a catalyst to put the leaf herb and mana piece together, but it's not required for the actual healing of the patient. Today, we have the technology to put the cure together without the horn, and there are medicinal shops in the country that sells more common natural ingredients that serve the same purpose," the doctor explained, "So we can technically put the cure together right now, but it'll just be quicker with the catalyst, whether it is the horn or some herbal medicine."

Again, silence from the crowd, as each member weighed their current options. "Think about it all you want, but I have patients to see," the doctor replied, "If you don't have an answer for me by tonight, then I'll assume you don't want to put together the cure yet." With that, he left the lab and headed for his office.

"Well, do we want to go for it without the unicorn's horn or whatever medicinal material they have?" Lloyd asked, "It seems like Colette will do fine without it."

"But remember that Colette's young, meaning she's more likely to recover fully," Raine countered, "My grandmother isn't nearly as young and healthy as a teenage girl, so she may require a stronger cure. That would mean the unicorn's horn or whatever herbs they suggest are needed, just to keep her in good shape." Turning to Regal, she asked for a location of these herbs. "Are there shops that sell them directly?"

Regal thought for a moment. "There should be one in Exire, but I can't guarantee that they're open and available for you. Most herbal shops aren't exactly what one would call over-the-counter, so it may be difficult to deal with that problem."

Again, Raine mulled over the options. What if there was a way to put together a temporary cure, just to make it safe for the Exsphere to be removed, and then add on the herbs just to put their bodies back into full strength? There has to be a way to deal with this, she thought, I didn't research all those healing techniques all my life for nothing.

* * *

In Heimdall, Genis was finishing his third day of training with Ricardo. After an initial session in Latheon Gorge, followed by some work the day before, he definitely had a better knowledge of mana manipulation. He managed to do the spells he had experience with in Sylvarant without fainting: the water blades, the wind spell, and the fire balls.

Ricardo's lessons on controlled release of mana also allowed Genis to better understand the importance of balance within the body. "That's the main reason why Exspheres are dangerous to most people today," he explained, "Most people today, even some elves, no longer have the ability of balancing mana in one's body. For them, they can only do elementary spells without feeling faint. That's why it's almost a lost art."

Genis nodded as they returned to the lodge. From his short stay in Heimdall, the young half-elf saw both sides of the town. The side that had welcomed him made him feel like a friend, and wanted to see a person from the outside world. The other side did not welcome him, and refused to even come close to them, even with Ricardo's status as an elder. It made him wonder what it must have felt like for his father and grandfather. "Ricardo, what did you know about my mom?" Genis asked the elder.

Ricardo turned back to Genis. From his eyes, Genis could tell Ricardo was somewhat troubled by the question. But nonetheless, Ricardo decided to tell the story. "You have a right to know, since this is your parent. When Virginia had announced she would marry Kloitz, the reaction was mixed. Knowing that half-elves were the cause of so much trouble throughout history, there was a fear that another catastrophe might be at hand here. Now, it's not like there weren't other half-elves born between Reunification and today, but to be in a semi-wealthy situation like her family was, there were fears by the isolationist camp that Virginia and her family would ultimately sell out some powers and income to external races," he described.

Genis cocked an eyebrow. "But there were those that wanted integration with the rest of the world. Surely they don't see it as a bad thing? And besides, my mom moved to Iselia with Grandpa and Dad, so technically there's no problems, right?"

"Technically yes, but remember that the Sage name took a significant hit from both sides. It didn't help that shortly after she left, an isolationist group took over as the new members of the elders' council. They were intent on keeping her, and the rest of your family, out of Heimdall," Ricardo informed Genis.

"But they were allowed back in though. I was told that when I was two years old, Mom did take a trip back to Heimdall. I was too young back then, so I didn't get to go. And then she went missing after that," Genis replied, "So why the change of heart?"

Ricardo stared at the ground, not willing to elaborate. "I wasn't part of the council then, so I don't have too many details. But rumour has it that at the time, the group known today as Cruxis was intent on testing their experiments on subjects of different races. I'm not sure if they existed in Iselia, but somehow they managed to see your mother as a good test subject. It wouldn't surprise me if that's the reason for her disappearance."

Genis felt like he had been hit with a bus, a flurry of images and emotions blasted through his mind. Was Cruxis behind the disappearance of his mother? How did they spy on her from Iselia, and all the way to Heimdall? And why didn't the elders act when she was captured, or did they know or care about it at all? "So what happened? How did they capture my mother?" he asked meekly, his throat dry and coarse like sandpaper.

Ricardo gave Genis a look of helplessness. "I don't know the details very well, but some who served longer than me told me someone with elven connections bribed some influential members and guards to let Virginia back in. They will then reveal where Virginia is staying during her visit and kidnap her at night. The rumour is that the Cruxis negotiator can gain a test subject for his boss, and the isolationist elves in return got their revenge on Virginia's family and the Sages for their actions years before," he sighed as he wiped his eyes, "That's all I've heard, and even today I have no confirmation of it."

Genis sat there, his expression frozen onto his face. Had the elves been playing with the lives of his mother just to get their revenge? And who sold out Heimdall to Cruxis? Feeling his anger boiling inside of him, Genis shot out of his chair and glared Ricardo in the eyes. "What do you mean you can't tell me more? You were here in Heimdall when it happened, so you should know what went on!" Genis snapped.

Ricardo raised his hands in defense. "Genis, I'm very sorry for what happened to your mother, but I didn't get onto the council until after her…"

"It doesn't matter! There should still be something done about this! You're on the council right now, so why haven't you asked them to investigate?" Genis demanded, waving his arms around.

Again, Ricardo was on the defensive. "I assure you, I've done all I can…"

"Well it's not good enough, is it?" Genis retorted, jabbing a finger into Ricardo's face. The confrontation got the attention of the lodge's staff, many of whom standing near the lobby and observing the young half-elf chewing out one of their town's elders. Despite the height difference, it was evident that Genis was in control there, "That's my mother you guys messed around with, and now she's dead, or missing, or who knows what nasty things Cruxis did to her. And what do you elves do? Stick your heads in the sand and pretend nothing has happened! I'm a Sage too, so does it mean you'll hand me over to Cruxis?" Genis was hyperventilating now, letting Ricardo have it. Wiping his eyes, he marched off into his room. "I'm going to bed. I want some time alone. You and your crazy council can talk to me again once you have your facts straight!"

* * *

On a crisp morning in Iselia, a certain police officer taking family leave boarded an airplane. Presea Combatir was given a week off due to the Ozette attacks. But the move was against her intent to flush out the police mole in Cruxis by keeping tabs on her captain and the police chief. So, after her unit meeting the day before, she went home and immediately contacted Forcystus, who had her re-assigned to Exire temporarily.

"I'm still not sure of the mission," she spoke on her phone with Forcystus, "What am I supposed to do in Exire to distract Rodyle? I mean, he's the one who put me into the Cruxis branches in the first place, so wouldn't he recognize me?"

"That's the point, he will recognize you," Forcystus replied, "But since you're the technology master, you don't have to show yourself to monitor his system. You can hack it in from afar, and feed all the information to me, and we'll take it over from here,"

Presea sighed as she put her luggage on the ceiling compartment. "While we're on the topic, was there really a need to blow up Ozette's suburbs like that?" she asked, "My dad still lives in Ozette, and if he happens to be hurt by the blast, there's no way I can sit passively and let you guys continue that."

Again, Forcystus insisted on the harsh treatments, giving her the "fearsome god of death" rant again. "Besides, your loyalties are to us, so you shouldn't be looking out for number one in the first place," he retorted, "If I find that you have allegiances elsewhere, don't expect me to show you any mercy." A swift click ended the call, leaving Presea dumbfounded. Taking her seat on the plane, she closed her eyes and tried to get some rest. The early morning flight was not an event she preferred to experience.

Presea tried to drown out any thoughts and noise, with the only sound coming from the plane engine humming as it taxied to the runway. But it was to no avail, as the same images flashed through her mind; burning houses, people screaming for help, hurt civilians loaded onto ambulances, and so on. She wondered where her father was, and whether he survived the attacks. Daddy's been ill even before I left, she thought, I don't know if someone of his health could have gotten away on time, or unscathed.

She also thought back to the cold tone that Focystus used on her earlier. "Your loyalties are to Cruxis," she heard it echoing throughout her mind. It felt like they did not care about her well-being at all, and only used her as a pawn. She lifted her hand to her sternum, gently rubbing the symbol of this slavery: the Exsphere. Rodyle and Forcystus had told her that it had its functions suspended, meaning it would not do her any harm. But should there be any disobedience, they would activate it and she would die within a week or two. I wonder if there's a way to remove it safely, she thought. She mulled over this possibility as the plane accelerated down the runway, heading straight into the skies.

* * *

By the time it was morning in Flanoir, Lloyd and Raine had decided on what to do with the cure. They asked George to stay in Flanoir and monitor the doctor's progress, putting together a temporary solution to give to Colette and Lynn, while they accompany Regal to Exire to look for the herbs serving the equivalent purpose as the unicorn's horn.

Meanwhile, Mark and Sheena were also headed elsewhere. After that hair-raising experience with Celsius and Fenrir, they hoped not to deal with another volatile summon spirit again. "Efreet and Celsius may be polar opposites, but their relation was nothing like the one between Sylph and Gnome," Mark described, "Things nearly got out of hand, but we intervened just in time and explained the situation to Celsius before she freezes us all. It didn't hurt that Efreet already knows of the situation, and can support our claim."

"But the next spirit we're heading to is the electric summon spirit, Volt," Sheena murmured nervously, "I don't know, but I'm still horrified of the experience. Knowing what my grandfather went through and all the pain and suffering that experiment brought, I don't know if I can handle it. I can't imagine having that much blood on my hands."

"But don't forget, we're all in a jam right now," Lloyd replied, "If anything, all of us are likely to have blood on our hands if we don't succeed. If we are to save the world from Cruxis, then we must succeed. Raine and I have to get the cure, and you have to get all the spirits onside. I just wish I could be there to help you out, because if Volt does anything weird, we'll take him out ourselves," he stated with determination.

"If Genis were here, he'd probably make some snide remark about you being fried by Volt," Raine retorted as she returned to the group with Regal, "It's settled then. Since the military is concentrated on dealing with the crisis, they only left us one plane. Mark and Sheena will take the military plane to the Temple of Lightning, while Lloyd and I will travel to Exire with Regal. George will stay here and get the temporary cure, and then he'll send it straight to Mizuho for Colette and Grandma to use. I'm not sure how the herbs work outside of the cure, so it may be a risky move. But I've done some research into healing methods of the past, so I think I could come up with something."

As the groups headed out, Lloyd could not help but turn to Raine. "You didn't tell me you were a healer. Have you and Genis been hiding your skills from people?"

Raine chuckled. "Just because I did research on healing doesn't mean I can use mana to heal," she replied, "But as a person with elven blood, it is natural that I am more sensitive to mana, and can understand certain functions of it better than others. I've never healed anyone in my life before, so it's premature to call me a doctor or grand healer or anything like that right now."

Raine then turned away from him and focused on Regal, who was updating her on the current status of the herbal medicine suppliers of Exire. "I've made some calls, and these are the shops that are open right now…" Regal began as Raine listened on intently.

Seeing that he could not penetrate into their discussion, Lloyd remained silent and thought about the ordeals each person in their group went through. Surely it was a trial that would not just determine the fate of the world, but also the measure of each person. Ever since he heard stories of the reunification heroes, he imagined what trials they went through and how each member conquered their own demons. Even in his mother's novel, as people around him who have read it could concur, regular characters faced challenges too, and those who conquered them often were changed drastically afterwards. No matter what, I have to finish the task, Lloyd thought, not just for me, but for Colette, and Mrs. Sage, and even to my dad, just to show him that outside of Cruxis, there is a way out.

* * *

In Exire, the meeting between local police and military official wrapped up, with Noishe again the centre of attention and giving a speech. Wiping his brow, he tucked his laptop under his arm and prepared to leave the conference hall when he was stopped by a large man with dark, spiked up hair. Seeing the badges on his uniform, Noishe figured he must be of high military command. "What can I help you with?" Noishe asked.

"I'm General Botta, chief of staff of the Tethe'alla military. Seeing you onstage and hearing that speech earlier, it reminded me of something from a long time ago," he replied, giving Noishe a strange stare, "I was having hunches about this, so I thought I'd come straight to you. Can we have a quick private chat?"

Noishe looked around, making sure there was nobody listening. Deep down, he also felt Botta looked familiar to him, and knowing that he was a half-elf meant he had something to do with his past. "Sure," Noishe agreed, "Let's find somewhere quieter."

The two sneaked off to a corner near the back of the building. Usually, only smokers frequented the area, but since it was near evening, there was no one there. Botta was about to start when Noishe cut him off. "First off, I want to say that when I saw you, I also thought you looked familiar, so I think it's only right that you answer my question first. Were you part of the Derris Kharlan reconnection project?"

Botta nodded. "That was over two hundred years ago, and I was just a cadet. I was top of my class though, so I got to observe the project being done. Even today it fascinated me how the remaining reunification heroes came together one last time," he commented.

Noishe sighed, looking at the streets. The sun's reflections from the ocean created a delicate mix of colours, reminiscent of the colours of mana beams that shone through when the project was at hand. "It was probably one of the most controversial decisions made at that time, but seeing how there was no progress whatsoever made on the issue of discrimination, it was also the only move possible," Noishe explained, "If you haven't noticed, I was only in my Fenrilra form back then. And during the entire time, I was thinking to myself: what did my former owners ever do to deserve this?"

"I assume you mean the leader of the Reunification group, Lloyd Irving?" Botta pointed out, "I've always heard from history that his legacy was nearly soiled because of certain actions he took after Reunification. But I guess no one truly knows except you."

"My former owner Lloyd was truly an idealist, and he truly believed he could save the world from discrimination. Since Exspheres were the biggest weapons of the day, his idea was to remove them from people. Theoretically, that's the right move, but he miscalculated the fact that attitudes required more time to change. One cannot merely stop hating another race just because one lost the tools to harm them," Noishe described.

"And when attitudes were slow to change, it just bought half-elves and humans more time to re-group and become radicalized again. For that situation, Lloyd Irving had no choice but to take up arms and return to the battlefield," Botta continued, regurgitating his history class, "But where were his comrades at that time? Didn't anyone help him?"

"Most of them actually did not agree with his views then. There was a group that tried to reunite the nations, believing that with both nations using the same set of laws, there should be no problems. The Sage siblings, the lone half-elves of the group, were interested in integrating races, and they were having their own problems. But either way, none of them saw re-engaging a battle as the best way. So when Lloyd was off to war, it was mainly those outside of his original group that supported him. Although I'd argue that these new supporters, along with Lloyd himself, were also radicalized," Noishe recalled.

Botta was silent, trying to absorb all this. "But later on Lloyd did end up winning some battles, and his supporters did take over certain cities and states, and ruled them in accordance to Lloyd's ideals. So why the need for Derris Kharlan?" he asked.

"The supporters were just radicalized humans, and set up dictatorships rather than improve race relations. It only made lives of half-elves worse, and by the time the world had been reunited for fifty years, nobody was happy. It just so happened that the Derris Kharlan comet returned to the planet every fifty years, and my old friend Kratos Aurion offered it as a temporary refuge for displaced half-elves until the situation improved. As luck would have it, the summoner Sheena had reconnected with her spirits and Martel, the embodiment of all mana in the world. They managed to reconnect Derris Kharlan with the planet. But it would be another fifty years before the first group of half-elves were transported onto the comet, and that's the phenomenon that you saw," Noishe said.

Sighing, he stared out to the sunset, "Martel was, in a sense, sacrificed again, just to make the connection, and the task of keeping the world's mana together was given to the spirits," Noishe continued, "I haven't heard anything from Kratos since, having lost all communication with the comet after it left with those people. Nor do I know if the connection still works, but I have a bad feeling about what's happening with the inhabitants up there."

"But there was work done between the first fifty years and the time those people went to Derris Kharlan. The dictatorship states were overthrown, the summoner and her group managed to draft a constitution that gave rights to all races, and the Sage siblings, because of their longevity, did manage to re-educate a majority of the next generation. Clearly one cannot blame your former owner for the failures," Botta retorted.

"The urge to save humanity is almost always a false face for the urge to rule it," Noishe responded, "The biggest mistake Lloyd made was that he underestimated that very point. Lloyd was willing to use the dwarven vows as a base for his vision of the world. What he didn't realize was that they were only guidelines, and anyone could use these mottos to their own advantage and goals. On his death bed, he was asked whether he supported those who fought with him the second time, and his answer was that he wasn't sure. One thing for certain is that his former comrades, with whom he had disagreements with, were the ones who saved his legacy. And as his former pet, I'm eternally grateful."

* * *

"So your name is Gil, and you're from Iselia," Seles stated as she took a swig of water. Zelos had been visiting her again, bringing her extra food and water behind the backs of other Cruxis members. This time, he brought Gil along to ensure Seles that he had a plan prepared, and would be getting her out soon.

"The next Cruxis mission is going to be big, and Rodyle would require everyone to pitch in. Once I find out who's in charge of what, I'll be able to decide who will come here for you," Zelos explained, "Rodyle won't be able to keep track of everyone, so if one of us can get here while the others were focused on Rodyle, you'll be free to go."

As Zelos and Seles continued their discussion, Gil heard the person from the cell next to Seles' crawl up to him. "Did you say you were from Iselia?" the person asked.

Gil whipped around and saw an old dwarf. He was not in bad condition, meaning he was probably in here for a short time. But given his age, Gil figured the dwarf would not last as long as Seles. "Are you from Iselia's Cruxis? Please, I really want your help. I ask of you, do this old man a favour. I don't know how much longer I can last."

Gil knelt down to the dwarf's level. "I'm not really supposed to be here, but I'm just doing Zelos a favour. What's your name, and why are you here?" he asked.

The dwarf looked down. "I'm sorry. I forgot you don't work here. I'm Altessa, and I've been taken in by your leaders to continue a sick, twisted experiment that I began years ago. It involves many Exspheres, and I've been captured because I was one of the only people in the world that had expertise on them." Again, Altessa looked at Gil with pleading eyes, "I've done everything your leaders have asked, but now I beg of you. If you have any knowledge of Cruxis in Iselia, please help me find Presea Combatir."

Gil furrowed his brow. From his angle, Altessa was split in half between light and shadows, with the desparate look still pasted on his face. "I'm not sure if I've heard of her. Can you please describe who she is and such?" Gil requested for more information.

"She's a short young woman, originally from Ozette. I was involved in some Exsphere experiments when Cruxis manipulated me into using one on her three years ago. I haven't seen her since, but I've heard that she's in Iselia, working for Forcystus. If there's anything I can do, it is at least repay her for my past actions by trying to heal her. Please, you've got to help me find her," Altessa begged once more.

"Presea Combatir, Iselia, working for Forcystus, could it be?" Gil muttered to himself. He was so caught up in his thoughts that Zelos had to tug on Gil's jacket to signal that they were leaving. As the doorway sealed shut with a hiss, somewhere in the deepest parts of Gil's mind, something told him that this Presea might be the answer to all of his, and Captain Noishe's problems.

* * *

Just before we go, I just want to say that scenes from this chapter were inspired by a variety of things. Just let me list them off here:

1.) The quote from the beginning, and later on repeated by Noishe, came from H.L. Mencken.  
2.) The mention of (ancient) Lloyd not sure about supporting his supporters was from Karl Marx, who gave a similar answer regarding Marxism.  
3.) The scene with Genis chewing out Ricardo was inspired by Spiderman 3, where Peter was at the police station hearing about Ben's death.  
4.) Presea's conversation with Forcystus is inspired by the episode "The Crossroads of Destiny" from Avatar: The Last Airbender.

And the chapter as a whole is inspired by you, the fans. I couldn't have done it without you. Happy reading and enjoy your winter breaks (if you live north of the Equator, that is!).


	28. Separation and Reconnection

Many thanks to **Mandrakefunnyjuice**, **Gijinka Renamon**, **Poet Bucky**, and **I.K.A. Valian** for the reviews. The last chapter was especially fun to write, as we get to revisit a lot of old TOS themes but explain them in a new light. You'll see more of that in this chapter, with certain characters connecting and re-connecting with people that they've lost or separated from. And I'll also go back to a technique I employed earlier: the "story-within-a-story", as Gil tells us more about his wife's novel and how it links to TOS events.

As well, knowing that Winter Solstice is this weekend, I want to dedicate this chapter to **I.K.A. Valian**, who will be celebrating his birthday. I.K.A. has been one of my longest and closest followers, reading this story since Chapter 1, and always leaving great reviews, whether they be regarding story organization, characterization, themes, etc. I have to say he's one of the best reviewers out there. So I.K.A., this chapter is for you. Happy birthday and happy Winter Solstice!

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

After being cooped up in his room throughout the night and all morning, Genis finally decided to come out. He was still angry at Ricardo's revelations, holding a lot of contempt for the elves. But darn it, he swore if he stayed in the stuffy room for another minute, he'd die of starvation, or suffocation. After quickly rinsing his face of the dried tears on his cheeks, he slipped on his sneakers and stepped into the lobby.

But the second he arrived, his tired expression turned to anger, as a certain elf elder was seated at a sofa, looking up at him. "Genis…" Ricardo began.

"No, don't even start. I still don't want to talk to you guys," Genis replied coldly, giving Ricardo the hand, "I'm just grabbing some food and that's it."

Ricardo tried to follow Genis out, but was stopped by the innkeeper. "That young half-elf is still under intense stress, so I think it's best that you leave him alone for now. If you want to, maybe I'll try to talk to him," he suggested.

Ricardo looked on as Genis moved further and further away. Much as he did not like that decision, he realized that only a neutral third party could bring Genis back into the fold. Reluctantly, he nodded, taking a seat back on the sofa as the innkeeper stepped out of the door, signalling his assistant to watch the front desk while he was gone.

The innkeeper did not need to go far to find the silver-haired boy. Genis peered through the windows of each shop, looking at different prices while jiggling the money in his pocket. Because he was an elder's guest, Ricardo had been in charge of his lodging and meals. But now that he shunned the elf elders, finding an affordable place to eat had become that much more difficult. It didn't help that when he left Iselia, he brought only a limited amount of cash with him. Shaking his head, he backed off from one window and continued on his way. I just hope these restaurants have friendly owners, Genis thought to himself, I shudder to think what might happen if I entered an isolationist business.

Capitalizing on his chance, the innkeeper raced forward and caught up to Genis. "Hey, we have food back at the inn. Don't you want to come back?" he asked.

Genis glanced up with sad eyes. It was evident that he was still upset. "No, I think I'll pass, especially with you-know-who still sitting in the lobby," he spat.

The innkeeper looked blue. "Genis, I don't think you should make that statement. He's one of our elders, and he is teaching you all those mana spells. Surely you can't have such a negative view of him, can you?" he pleaded.

"It's just that the more I think about it, the more I'm starting to not like elves or humans. I mean, earlier, I felt a true sense of pride for half-elves when I found out that the mana master from the Reunification was a half-elf, and I used it to inspire myself to help the world. But when I found out what some humans and elves did to my own mother all those years ago…" Genis trailed off, feeling his tears starting to stream down again.

The innkeeper put a hand on Genis' shoulder. "You raised a good point regarding the actions of humans and elves, very consistent with some of the attitudes of the past. In those times, the rivalries between the two races, and with the presence of the half-breed half-elves, caused a lot of disharmony in the world. But then again, it's a chicken or the egg question, isn't it? Which came first, the battles or the discrimination?" he retorted.

Genis looked up with a confused expression, but the innkeeper pressed on. "I'm not condoning those who did the horrible act to your mother, but I'm not discounting the efforts Ricardo has made to the investigation either. Remember that before he began his tenure, the council was dominated by isolationists, and they were never keen on having outsiders around. I myself, being an open reformist, was frowned upon by them, and I received my fair share of criticism from their supporters." The innkeeper then knelt down, staring directly into Genis' eyes. "So I ask you this: should we continue the battles and continue promoting hate, therefore causing more battles? Or should we try to root out the discrimination by doing our part to reform those who want to listen?" he asked.

Genis opened his mouth, but nothing came out of it. He was somewhat silenced by the revelations from the innkeeper. "Ricardo did everything in his power to crack through the isolationist-dominated council, and he was willing to teach traditional techniques to you, so I think at the very least you should give him another chance. What do you say?" the innkeeper asked, extending his hand to Genis.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Exire, all was not well for Gil, as he tried to work out a plan to save the prisoners while keeping Noishe informed of Cruxis happenings. Knowing that he could not be in two places at once, the best thing he could do was to inform Noishe ahead of time, so the captain would know what to expect during the operation. "There has to be something done to deal with those captives," Gil explained to Noishe, "So when we do get those people out, we have to bring them somewhere safe."

Noishe nodded, understanding the situation. "But at the same time, if you're on the way to release the captives, nobody would be watching Rodyle and his machine. And knowing this thing will destabilize the mana of the world more than the Derris Kharlan reconnection, we might just be risking more lives here," he pointed out.

Gil put his hands to his face, rubbing his cheeks in frustration. He was under intense pressure for the last few days, knowing that he was about to make a breakthrough with Cruxis' motives and actions. But unintended events kept on hindering him, such as Zelos tailing him, the presence of prisoners, the mystery military mole, and even more information on the Cruxis mole sent into Iselia. He was so caught up in these thoughts that he had not shaved for days, with his goatee nearly covering his entire jaw line and lower face. "So what do you suggest then?" Gil retorted, annoyed.

Despite the dilemma, Noishe still recommended Gil focus on the main weapon Rodyle planned on using, and only fetching the prisoners when the time was right. "It's best that we focus on the threat to the world, rather than just the handful of prisoners. If possible, you can still scout out the military mole and ask him or her to help out, right?"

Gil sighed and shook his head. "I still have no confirmation on the identity of the military mole, but I do have a hunch as to who it may be." He glanced sideways at Noishe with an exasperated expression. "It's never easy to prioritize between the lives of a few captives and the lives of everyone on this planet, isn't it?" he asked his superior.

Noishe smiled. "That's the exact same mistake my former owner made. He made saving the world his first priority, but a lot of change is required for progress to be made. He wanted to get rid of the Exspheres to prevent races from using them to harm each other, but he never actually got to the root of the problem: people's attitudes."

Gil looked on as Noishe moved away from him. Standing above the waterfront, the former Protozoan leaned on the railing and stared out to the ocean, looking nostalgic as he continued, "If there's one thing I've learned in my experiences with the Kharlan War and the reunification groups, it's that one shouldn't base general principles like justice and equality on people's words of honour. Both groups had a set objective, only to be destroyed by those wanting to use it for personal gain. So many people died for these causes all because some fanatics saw an opportunity to spread their extremist agenda. It's pretty sad to see such heroes be diminished to villains, really," he commented.

Gil stepped up to the railing with Noishe. "Out of all your events, which one do you think did the most to put us onto the path of equality and tolerance?" he asked.

Noishe thought for a moment, and then replied, "I can't say which event was the most influential, because everything was connected. If Lloyd had not spread his idealist ideas to everyone, we wouldn't be inspired to change the world. If Raine the healer didn't travel the world to educate the people, attitudes would never change. If the group led by Sheena the summoner didn't draft the constitution and changed the laws, then those who committed acts of racism would go unpunished. So for me, everyone did their parts, and it's hard to tell who did more and who deserved more credit," he explained.

Gil could concur with that situation. After all, his wife's novel ended the exact same way. "The entire ending scene was inspired by the very events you mentioned," Gil described to Noishe, "Lionel, in his attempts to prove his abilities to everyone and show that he's a leader in the next generation, joined the army to fight in the civil war. Just like Lloyd the hero, he was the idealist with the initiative, and wanted to prove to everyone he had what it took. He ended up dying in the war, and the remaining surviving characters saw it as the end of idealism. The leader himself had died, so there was no more legacy."

Noishe looked at his friend as Gil continued the story, "Now, Lionel had wooed Olivia earlier, but Olivia refused, knowing that she was responsible to her children. But Olivia was impressed by Lionel's ideals, and wasted no time teaching these ideals to her children in hopes of having them lead the future generation. So in a sense, despite Olivia outliving Lionel, she will forever be connected to him in her children," he concluded.

"And that's why I admire you, Gil," Noishe replied, "You never seem to forget who you are and what you're fighting for. Despite all those problems, with your wife's death and Lloyd being alone, and not to mention all the times you told Chief Marshall or me that you wanted to quit and get your identity back, you always managed to right the ship. I just wish every mole we send is just like you," Noishe patted Gil's shoulder.

But just as this was said, Gil remembered a small detail that he neglected to tell Noishe. That night, when he went with Zelos into the prisoner's hold he spoke with the prisoner in the next cell. He mentioned how he was involved in the first Exsphere project, and had inserted a suspended Exsphere into a young woman from Ozette. "The Exsphere was ultimately controlling her, since Cruxis controlled its suspended functions. I heard she was perhaps sent to Iselia to work for Forcystus, so maybe she could be the mole sent into the police to spy on the SIU," Gil suggested.

Noishe nodded, realizing that this breakthrough would solve their problems. "Did you get a name for this mole? If you can tell me who it is, then I can call Captain Burton and have him check it out in his unit," he responded, anxious to hear the news.

"Yes, I did recall him referring to this person by name," Gil replied, remembering clearly what happened, "He said her name was Presea Combatir."

* * *

Mark and Sheena finally made their landing at the northern regions of Tethe'alla. After going through some old notes on Igaguri's failed attempt to tackle Volt thirty years ago, the two now had a better grasp of what to do to prevent the disaster from happening again. "It seems to me that the main mistake your grandfather made was he allowed too many people and machinery to go into the Temple of Lightning at once, leading to the mix-up of mana and making the ever sensitive Volt react negatively," Mark announced.

"So what you're saying is that we should only have a small group of people go in at once, and use limited electronics?" Sheena responded, bewildered at the finding, "How can we do that if we don't even understand Volt? Unless you have someone translating his ancient tongue, we have to have some gadgets in there,"

On and on the debate went, with Sheena still haunted by Igaguri's experience and unconfident of her abilities, while Mark insisted on preventing deaths of more people. It was not long before they reached the Temple of Lightning, and both sides were about to face the challenge of their lives. "Well, too late to turn back now. It's now or never," Mark commented as they faced the entrance. The dark tunnel snaking into the central chamber leered at them, daring them to step forward. "Sheena, are you ready?"

Sheena sighed, still nervous at the sight before her. But if conquering Volt would erase the demons weighing on her family, then she would do whatever it took. "Let's do this," she replied, "Not just for me, but for my grandfather, your parents, all the military personnel that lost their lives here, and even for Kuchinawa." Armed with only a small reader on electric mana, which enabled them to translate Volt's language, they slowly stepped into the temple and be engulfed by the darkness.

Inside, there was that humid, muggy feeling that Igaguri always spoke of when he remembered his mission. The suffocating thick air combined with the strange electrical smell made it difficult to breathe. The only light illuminating their path was the constant flickering of static electricity zapping through the air and onto the walls and sculptures. "I don't think this is any different from the first time around," Sheena murmured.

Mark looked at her nervously. This summon spirit was as much a testament of Sheena's abilities as well as his. After all, his father led the team into the temple to let his mother summon Volt, and careless management of old technology had resulted in the deaths of almost everyone inside. Although he did not show it, Mark saw this as a way to redeem his family as well. If only Kuchinawa were here to see this, he thought.

Nevertheless, the two pressed forward, moving up the narrow passageway that led them into the central chamber. As they entered, they were faced with the same fearsome sight that Igaguri and Mark's parents saw. A large pedestal set above them, with a large flight of stairs that dwarfed all those that proceeded. It was as if Volt was using this to taunt them for their ancestors' failures. "Come on, let's do this," Mark soothed gently.

But as they continued moving up, a familiar figure moved into the temple with a large team, and it was not the military. Kuchinawa already staked out the island, and had chosen this temple to ambush for strategic and symbolic reasons. He knew that Sheena was unprepared to go up against Volt due to Igaguri's failures, and it was also the place where his parents were killed. To kill the descendant of the one that caused the accident at the exact same place was justice served for him. "Revenge will be mine," he muttered to himself, "and should that traitor Orochi get in the way, he'll die here as well."

* * *

"This is the shop that I was talking about," Regal pointed out the small building before them as their vehicle pulled up to the sidewalk. Before them was in this relatively worn-out neighbourhood was an old, brick building, with an old sign hanging above the first-floor entrance. The age of the neighbourhood was reflected in the surroundings, even in the sidewalks, as a mushy sensation was felt as they stepped onto the moist concrete.

Pushing the door open, Lloyd and Raine were greeted by a strong herbal smell. Surrounding them were various herbs and medicines, most of them naturally grown. It was a strange sight indeed! Regal led them to the counter, where a middle-aged half-elf stepped up to them. "Regal, what brings you into my store?" he asked.

Regal turned to face Lloyd and Raine as he made the introductions. "This is Ellis. He's been studying herbal medicines all his life, including those only accessible to elves. I believe he has what we need to put the cure together," Regal explained.

"Regal and George already informed me of some of the materials that you might be considering, so I have all of them prepared. I'll just go to the storage room and grab them," Ellis stated. Turning on his heels, he disappeared into the back of the shop.

Despite nearing the end, neither Lloyd nor Raine appeared hopeful. It had been almost two weeks since the Exspheres were implanted. Whatever negative impacts that would happen should be occurring now, but still they had relatively little news, except for the fact that Lynn and Colette were often lacking energy, bedridden and losing appetite. "It's kind of like the calm before the storm," Lloyd described.

Regal nodded. Somewhere, deep inside, he figured that was what his friend Alicia had felt before the Exsphere turned her into a monster. Her mind slowly lost control of her body and there was nothing she could do about it. Regal was determined to put an end to this Exsphere business and prevent more suffering.

Just as this went through Regal's mind, Ellis returned with a case of several herbs. He laid the medicines out onto the bench and explained them to the group. "In essence, they all serve the same function as the unicorn's horn, But since they're naturally grown, you will not have to search out the world for unicorns or whatever," he said.

As Lloyd and Raine lowered their heads to take a better look at the herbs, Ellis kept his eyes on Raine. His eyes honed in on her, observing her every move. It was as if this fellow half-elf had something on her that amazed him. This act was not unnoticed by Regal, who stepped in to intervene. "What's so interesting?" he asked his friend.

Ellis pointed at Raine, who was fascinated by each herb. "She just looks a lot like someone that I know, that's all," Ellis replied, "I know it's unusual for me to say that, since she's from halfway across the world, but she looks a lot like that Virginia elf that comes around our neighbourhood every now and then."

Now Raine was the one who trained her eyes onto Ellis, as she heard the mention of the name Virginia. "Did you say this Virginia person was an elf?" she asked.

Ellis nodded, and Raine thought about this for a moment. An elf named Virginia that resembled her was sneaking around Exire. Could it be true? "Ellis, where did you find this Virginia? There's something important that I have to know," Raine exclaimed.

Ellis looked dumbfounded. "You have some important business with Virginia? I thought you said you were from Iselia, and you didn't know anyone from Exire."

Raine insisted, demanding that Ellis tell her everything he knew about Virginia, from the day she first got to Exire. "Virginia appeared as mysteriously as she lived her life," Ellis described, "Eight or nine years ago, that weird half-elf group made its base in Exire. They were carrying around strange technology and sometimes harassed citizens that went nearby. I had some friends who worked on the sewers, and they remembered hearing sounds of people crying for help in certain areas. I didn't think much about it until about six years ago, when that plane crash accident happened off the coast."

"Six years ago," Lloyd thought out loud, "That's the year when your grandfather and your dad heard of clues about her disappearance, and came to Exire to investigate!"

Ellis slapped his forehead. "I'm so stupid. I forgot that you're a member of the Sage family. Yes, it was a private plane that crashed, and among the victims were John and Kloitz Sage. I assume that must be your grandfather and father, as this young man just pointed out. Raine, I'm very sorry for your loss," he extended his condolences.

But Raine waved that off, insisting that they get back to the original story. "No, I already know about John and Kloitz Sage. I want to know about Virginia Sage, and what this accident did to cause her appearance in this neighbourhood."

"After the plane crash, local emergency services and the naval base took action. But as the excitement was over there, nobody paid attention to those sewers. I was just on my way out when the ground rumbled, and from the manholes came movements of earth and water. And lo and behold, an elf just came out. She looked like she exited a prison, with her clothes torn and face ragged, so I offered to take her to the police," Ellis stated.

Raine looked on as Ellis continued his story, describing how Virginia preferred to get some food and rest first. "I offered a room for her to spend the night, in exchange for me to go to the police the next morning. But when morning came, she was no longer here. She must have got wind of the news that of the crash, with the victims identified as John and Kloitz. I haven't had much contact with her after, except seeing her around the neighbourhood, snooping around, and living like a homeless person," Ellis concluded.

Raine was silent, trying to take all this in. Was this truly her mother? If it was, then what made her become like this? As she pondered this over, Lloyd raised another point. "Have you confirmed her identity at all? Did you ask her what she knew about the crash, or the so-called sewer prison that she was fished out of?"

Ellis did not divulge much, since he was in the dark about most of this as well. "All I know from those around me, and from the few times that she came by to ask for food or shelter, was that she had unfinished business to attend to here. She said she would return to where she came from the second she was done," Ellis replied in a muted tone.

Finally Raine looked up and asked Ellis. "Is there a location that she stayed for the night? A homeless shelter, or an affordable housing unit, something like that?"

Ellis thoughts for a moment, then responded, "There isn't a specific area per se, but there are places that she frequented in her stays for the last few years. Here are some of them…" pulling out a pen, he scrawled some addresses onto a notepad.

* * *

At the Temple of Lightning, Sheena stepped up to the summoning pedestal, the same one from all those years ago. For a second, Mark could see his own mother stepping up to the pedestal. He felt there was no one more appropriate to put this sad chapter of his life away than Sheena. "You can do it," Mark murmured, "I know you can."

Inside her mind, Sheena could not take her attention off history, as she realized she had this one shot to right the historical wrong Igaguri was a part of. Taking a deep breath to banish the last of her demons, Sheena was ready to proceed. "Grandpa, I'm doing this for you," she muttered. Focusing on the pedestal, she summoned Volt.

The electrical smell became stronger as a large flash illuminated the area. Mark and Sheena looked up and saw the source of their nightmares for all these years: the large electrical ball with piercing eyes and fangs known as Volt. He glared at the two before giving off some strange static and vibrations, as detected by Mark's machines below. It was Volt's way of speaking, "He's asking why we're here, and what we want from him," Mark translated, reading off the signals from the machine.

"Boy, now I sound like a broken record," Sheena mumbled, having to explain the world situation again. It did not help that the longer it took, the higher the chances for a mistake to be made. She was here to correct a historical wrong, not stall for time. But nonetheless, it was best not to anger the powerful electric summon spirit, knowing what damage he could cause. Choosing her words carefully, she described the threat the world was under, and that she was enlisting his help. "Please, lend us your power," she pleaded.

Just like in Igaguri's stories, Volt did not compromise. "I refused to give my energy to that group from thirty years ago. You two look an awful lot like those guys, and I say your justifications are just as pathetic as theirs," Volt sneered through the device.

"Now that's just taking it too far," Mark retorted, unimpressed by Volt's rebuttal, "I didn't attack his mother, what gave him the right to attack mine?"

Sheena nodded, agreeing that Volt was crossing the line. "Volt, this has nothing to do with my grandfather. Yes, I admit, he, along with Mark's parents, was involved in the attempt thirty years ago. But this is a totally different situation," Sheena insisted firmly, "The world is at stake, and all summon spirits are pitching in to help. So why can't you?" She tried not to show it, but deep inside, Sheena was getting more rattled by the minute.

The irritation and hesitation by both Mark and Sheena was not unnoticed by Volt, who was egged on to taunt them even further. "Does it matter? They showed me they weren't ready to handle electrical mana, otherwise there would be no accident. What makes you think you're ready?" Mark read from the machine. Looking up at Sheena, he could not help but say, "We're running out of options here."

"You're also running out of time," a voice behind them called out. Mark, Sheena and Volt all turned to the source, and it was Kuchinawa, with a host of Cruxis' people, "I got you where I want you, at the very place where your grandfather led that group that killed my parents. Today, they will be avenged!" he shouted, his voice filled with spite.

Mark knew that Volt was volcanic enough without enticing, and with Kuchinawa and Cruxis' goons ready to deal damage, it would not bode well for anyone. Mark waved his hand at Sheena, signalling her to focus on Volt while he stalled. "Kuchinawa, now's not the time for fights. We're at a precarious situation here, so you want to give it a rest?"

But Kuchinawa ignored his brother, and had Cruxis members start the electronic devices. Mark charged forward to halt them, only to be knocked back by Kuchinawa with a clothesline. As Mark struggled to regain footing, Kuchinawa stepped up and cruelly kicked him in the side. "You're a traitor. You promised to take care of me when we were at the orphanage, but you abandoned me," he roared as his foot violently hit Mark's ribs.

Sheena heard all the machines beeping as they powered up. From her Igaguri's stories, she recalled Volt, like all other summon spirits, could locate sources of unstable mana, meaning he would attack the location with the most instability. The last time they were here, the military surrounded the entire pedestal with their gadgets, meaning Volt attacked his surroundings. But with Cruxis gathered in a small area, it did not take a master summoner to know what that meant. "Kuchinawa, I beg of you, tell them to stop. It'll only end badly for you," she cried out from above.

"Silence! No descendant of a murderer can tell me what to do!" Kuchinawa yelled. The sizzling sound of static filled the air as the transmitters released the electro-magnetic energy, disrupting the mana around the temple. Right on cue, Volt also reacted to the disturbance. Kuchinawa rubbed his hands in satisfaction as he signalled Cruxis members to back down, getting safe ground as Volt prepared to unleash his energy. With Mark struggling and Sheena too far up the pedestal to get away in time, victory seemed certain.

But oddly, the electrical mana did not spray outward in a circle. Rather, it was a beam heading straight for the Cruxis members. The first shot zinged through like a laser, instantly hitting a majority of the members. Charred bodies dropped to the ground as the remaining people scattered, dropping their still-running machines. "Stand your ground! He won't hit us!" Kuchinawa shouted at the fleeing people. But it was to no avail, as the few survivors bolted in fear. Before long, Kuchinawa was surrounded by the machines, and Volt stared menacingly at him. Kuchinawa realized the inevitable: Volt was targeting him for the second blast. Closing his eyes, he prepared for the final blow, his fate sealed.

Surprisingly, the blast did not hit Kuchinawa at all. In fact, when Kuchinawa re-opened his eyes, he found himself on his back, with the electrical mana shot out the door. Glancing around, he could see Mark had managed to get up and tackled him, pushing him out of harm's way. He was about to talk when Mark turned away from him and looked to the pedestal. "Sheena, you have to stop Volt," he called to her, "Summon his opposite, Undine. Heck, summon all the spirits! Subdue Volt with force if you have to!"

* * *

As night fell in Mizuho, Colette was rather restless. This was in contrast to the several days before, where she was tired and had no appetite, being bedridden the entire time. Looking around, she could see the hallways of the hospital were empty. Most visitors, including her parents, had left already. Rubbing her face, she thought about using the bathroom, just to get cleaned up. It's been a little while since I got washed up properly, she thought, maybe a face wash wouldn't be so bad.

Feeling her way across the room, she managed to reach the bathroom door. Slowly but surely, she felt for the light switch and flipped it on. She had a relatively dim light to work with as she grabbed a towel from the rack and tossed it into the sink. The sound of water could be heard as she rinsed the towel, getting it moist before covering her face with it. The cool water landing against her face was probably the most refreshing thing she felt since being admitted into this hospital.

Feeling better, she put the towel back into the sink and rinsed it again. Just as she was about to place it back on the rack, she saw a strange object on her left elbow. It was marine coloured, lizard-scale like pattern with an irregular shape. Figuring that it was some lint or garbage stuck on her, she scratched it a couple of times, trying to get it off.

But it was to no avail, as the pattern seemed to be stuck on her skin. Colette was flabbergasted, wondering what this object was, and why it was attached to her. Slowly, she rolled up the sleeve of her hospital gown, revealing her entire upper arm. As the fabric peeled back, more of the scale-like substance showed, covering her entire upper arm and shoulder. Her hand rubbed against it, and instead of feeling like normal skin and muscle, it felt hard, almost like a tumour.

Then, it hit her. This was the Exsphere's effects on her. Counting the days, Colette realized that the Exsphere had been on her for almost two weeks, and the effects were finally taking its toll. Her mind clouded by fear, she could not help but scream, knowing that she was nearing the end. She charged out of the bathroom, not even bothering to turn off the lights, and headed straight for the next room, where Lynn Sage was located. "Mrs. Sage, wake up!" she shouted, barging in through the door and frantically feeling for the lights, "Mrs. Sage, something terrible is happening!"

Lynn grimaced as the lights were flicked on, caught totally unprepared as Colette aroused her from her sleep. "Colette, what is it? What's wrong?" she asked, concerned.

Rolling up her sleeve again, Colette showed Lynn the scale-like patterns on her left arm and shoulder. "The Exsphere is starting to take its effect on me," she explained, pointing to the area, "I think it may be starting to happen on you as well!"

Dumbfounded, Lynn looked and felt all over her body, trying to locate any area of interest. Colette also looked on, when suddenly, she located it. "Right there," she pointed to Lynn's wrist, just above where the Exsphere was located. Indeed, there was a small marine-coloured spot. It was not as large as Colette's spot but it was just as prominent.

"The doctor checked us just this morning, and he didn't notice anything," Lynn replied, "so how did it get there this quickly?" Lynn and Colette glanced nervously at each other, knowing full well what had happened. Acting swiftly, Lynn slammed the button calling for help. Knowing how fast the symptoms had spread, they knew they did not have much time left, and would require treatment immediately.

* * *

And that's it for now. I already have the next chapter all thought out, so it's just a matter of writing it in the best possible way for you guys to read. Thanks for the reviews and have a great Winter Break!


	29. The Feeling of Abandonment

Hope everybody's having a great winter holiday. Despite all the parties and gatherings throughout the last few days, I still managed to squeeze in enough time for another chapter. Thanks to **Poet Bucky**, **Mandrakefunnyjuice**, and **I.K.A Valian **for your wonderful reviews. For that, you get to be one step closer to the climax of our story. Hang on to your hats, this will be a wild ride!

But before we start, some of you are asking: "Since this is a modern version, will there be Tales of Phantasia references?" The answer is no, because this is an AU fic, meaning these events exist exclusively from TOP events. That being said, I'm open to including Tales of Symphonia: Knights of Ratatosk references in here. I'll have to see more of that game before I make my decisions. But until then, enjoy!

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

"Sheena, you have to stop Volt," Mark called, "Summon his opposite, Undine. Heck, summon all the spirits! Subdue Volt with force if you have to!" And as Sheena whipped out the mana case, Mark was busy trying to disable as many Cruxis machines as possible. Knowing the mana in the chamber was still unstable, the other summon spirits could also let loose, causing an even bigger disaster.

Kuchinawa slowly got up as his eyes trailed his brother. Mark had just gotten his hands on the first machine, and began the process of disabling it. Meanwhile, Sheena had already summoned Undine, getting Volt's attention away from the instability, although Undine also seemed a bit uncomfortable with the surroundings. Shaking his head to clear his mind, Kuchinawa stepped forward to attack Mark again. His brother had just finished disabling the second machine, and nothing would stop Kuchinawa from getting revenge. "Stop right there, Orochi," he roared, trying to pry the machine away from Mark, "That's as far as you'll go."

Fortunately for Mark, he had the positional advantage, and managed to shut down the third machine before Kuchinawa could pry it loose. "It's a disaster waiting to happen here, and there are still machines left. If you want to get out of this place alive, I suggest you cooperate with me," Mark retorted. Above, Undine barely held her ground, as the reckless Volt was overpowering her. Sheena frantically searched through the cases, trying to find any of the other mana pieces that might be of use.

Kuchinawa merely replied to Mark's statement with a sucker-punch to Mark's face. The fist connected on the bridge of Mark's nose, right between his eyes. Mark dropped the machine and covered his face. Sneering at his brother, who staggered and fell out of the chamber, Kuchinawa gathered all the remaining operational machines together.

And as if right on cue, Volt did turn his attention back to Kuchinawa, unleashing another shot of mana. The blue electric ray seemed to move in slow motion as it rumbled it way through the chamber, and again, straight at Kuchinawa. This time, the mana was weaker, but without Mark to tackle him, Kuchinawa ended up taking the brunt of the hit. The Mizuho native was spun through the air, dropping the destroyed machines onto the floor. Amidst sparks and flashes of the broken electronics, Kuchinawa was badly burnt.

From the top, Sheena could only gape in shock. Glaring at Volt, she no longer cared about her own safety. Inside her mind, the only thing that mattered was to stop the electric summon spirit from destroying everything. Taking all the mana pieces, she scattered them around the pedestal and summoned all the spirits at once. "I want your help. Please stop Volt's rampage!" Sheena ordered.

As the spirits held down Volt, Mark returned to the chamber, and saw Kuchinawa badly burnt and unconscious. Immediately, he put a hand under Kuchinawa's nose and the other hand on his neck. "Sheena, Kuchinawa still has a pulse, but he isn't breathing well at all," he shouted, "We have to seek a medic at once!"

* * *

Kuchinawa had trouble opening his eyes, as the bright glares above him made his head pound even harder. "Ugh, where am I?" he murmured, shielding his eyes. He tried to move off, but realized that he had been pretty much strapped onto his back, with tubes and wires hanging all around him. He began feeling around his body, and realized that he had bandages covering his arms and side. Then, it dawned upon him: he was hospitalized.

Just as he lied back down, a familiar face hovered above him. "You were out for an entire day, all the way from last evening," Mark reported. He too sported a bandage, going up his nose and ending right between his eyes, "Volt got you really good, and we were lucky that the military plane got us back to Mizuho in time. It didn't hurt that the Temple of Lightning is just slightly north of here, so we didn't have to fly far."

Kuchinawa could only shake his head, realizing that he had his brush with death. But that did not deter Mark from interrogating him. "Now that I've found you again, and you're too injured to escape, I might as well get the answers I want," he began, taking a seat next to the bed, "When did you join Cruxis? For what purpose? And what are they trying to do now?" he demanded, glaring at his brother.

Kuchinawa turned away in disgust. "I have no need to explain myself to a traitor. Now where did Sheena go? I still have unsettled business with her," he retorted.

Then, Mark did something out of his nature, even in his days as Orochi. His fist shot out and connected with Kuchinawa's unburned cheek. Kuchinawa cried out in pain, rubbing his face as Mark glared at him mercilessly. "Traitor? How dare you say that about me! I helped you when we were orphaned, I protected you from the bullying, and I even convinced the Owens to adopt you!" Mark berated his brother.

"You and the Owens abandoned me! You had a chance to adopt me and you didn't do it!" Kuchinawa retorted, his volume raising.

"Abandon you? It's more like you abandoned yourself! We made it clear that we would come pick you up a few months later, only to find that you've become a troubled child, picking fights everywhere and running away. Remember what I told you before I left? Hang on tight, never give in, and bright things will come to those who persevere. What did you do? You gave up on those words, and became a little street urchin, and now you're part of Cruxis thanks to your crazy revenge plan. So who's the traitor now?" Mark shouted, jabbing his finger at Kuchinawa's face.

Kuchinawa was speechless, but Mark did not relent. "Not only that, you kept mentioning how the Fujibyashis did you wrong, and that they killed our parents. You think I didn't feel anger when I first got the news? But the Owens taught me one thing, and that is to have faith in justice and let it take its course. Igaguri was investigated by the army, and they cleared him of any wrongdoing. Why? Because the main factor for that incident was the thunderstorm, not negligence by Sheena's grandfather!"

Then, all colour from Kuchinawa's face drained, his cold, heartless façade wiped out all in an instant. All those years of him putting up the act, becoming the merciless agent for Cruxis, all to get revenge on his brother and Sheena, came to a thunderous halt by the revelation. "So, you mean, Sheena, and Igaguri, and…" he stuttered.

"That's right. Sheena and I are bent on correcting the mistakes of the past. That's why a couple of years ago, when I found out that Sheena was recruited by the Tethe'alla military to help them in preventing a disaster, mainly regarding Cruxis hijacking summon spirits, I didn't hesitate in offering my help. Both her grandfather and our parents failed to harness the spirits, so the least we could do is prevent the spirits from falling into the wrong hands," Mark explained, "Right now, Sheena's on the way to the last area, the Tower of Mana next to Luin in Sylvarant, to summon the last spirit. And seeing how she never gave up on her quest, I say that makes her a much more courageous person than you are, even if you feel she was a coward due to what her grandfather did!"

Kuchinawa closed his eyes, ashamed of himself. He betrayed all that he believed in just to go in this blind quest, and it proved to be fruitless. What's more, Cruxis did not come to his aide, but the one that had been helping him throughout his childhood, his brother, did. "Orochi, please forgive me for all that I've done," he pleaded, sobbing.

"It's no longer up to me to forgive you anymore," Mark replied, "It's up to the justice system. You've probably broken your fair share of laws by joining Cruxis and aiding their activities, so only a judge can decide on that. If you turn around right now, and return to the side of law, then I can conceive them giving you leniency."

"I can't turn back. I can't be a regular citizen anymore. I've been the other side for too long, and I'll no longer have anything if I turn around. There's nowhere for me to go," Kuchinawa insisted, tears still streaming down his face.

Mark shook his head. "You always had a choice. You chose to disobey me at the orphanage, you chose to join the street gangs, and now you're in the midst of making yet another choice. Abandon Cruxis and fight these extremists, or keep going with them and be a fugitive." Mark refused to compromise as he laid out the options, "I'm stepping out for now, but I hope you can truly think this one over," he warned.

Mark mulled over what he did to his brother as he left the room and stepped into a waiting elevator. Never in his life was he that harsh to a loved one, but he felt he did the right thing. "Kuchinawa did bad things in the past, but I'm sure he'll battle through this," he mumbled to himself. And since Kuchinawa was in the same hospital as Colette and Lynn, he thought maybe he should go pay them a visit while he was still here.

When the elevator doors opened, it revealed sheer pandemonium. Mark raced out, dodging staff members as he tried to get to Lynn and Colette. But the second he entered the room, there was a sight he did not expect. Instead of seeing the old woman and blond teenager, he saw two large, marine-scaled creatures. Their faces were featureless, but he did not need confirmation to know that they were ready to attack. Quickly, Mark pulled out his cell phone and dialled for Sheena. "Sheena, I don't know where you are, but remember when we were discussing that cure, and Raine said we're a mana piece short? I think you better get that piece as soon as possible. We have a situation here in Mizuho."

* * *

"I've just called George, and he's on his way to Mizuho with the parts of the cure right now," Regal reported. Ever since they were told the conditions for Lynn and Colette worsened, they realized they needed to hurry onto Mizuho to apply the cure. While Regal waited for Ellis to prepare the herbs, Raine had decided to check out the rumours of Virginia. "We've been to almost all those addresses, and she's at none of them. I suggest we get moving and save your grandmother," Regal insisted.

"This is the last address, so we'll just check it out before we leave. It shouldn't take too long," Raine replied. They were outside a low-cost apartment building, and Raine checked her list one last time. Most people working at the other places she visited could confirm the address was correct, and one even gave a unit number. Raine knew she had enough evidence, and could end the mystery behind her mother once and for all

The old building had no elevator, meaning they had to climb the stairs all the way to the top floor. Slowly moving to the sixth floor, they navigated around the narrow stairs while feeling their way around the moist, mouldy walls. "Why would Virginia want to live here? Given your family's background, it's so unnatural for her," Lloyd pointed out.

Raine did not reply, opting to proceed forward instead. Finally, she reached the unit written on the page. She took a deep breath, while glancing back at Lloyd and Regal. Her companions were somewhat sceptical of the actions she took, but they realized they had to be responsible to her. After all, if that was her mother inside, they should be there to offer Raine any emotional support, if necessary. Nodding, Raine pressed the door bell.

Then, there was silence. The only sound that could be heard in the halls was the dripping of leaky water pipes in the far end of the hallway. Lloyd and Regal continued to have nervous expressions on their faces as Raine persisted, staring intently at the door. Finally, some muffled footsteps could be heard behind the door, and with a low-pitched creek, the door slowly pulled open. "Who is it?" an elderly voice called. Lloyd and Regal could see from the small opening that the woman was indeed an elf, with the trademark long, pointy ears. Like Raine, she had silver hair, and that same determined look in her eyes, although it was somewhat hidden behind her older face.

But Raine's expression was a combination of shock, anger, and even fear. She remembered the elf before her like it was yesterday, even though the last time Raine had seen her was ten years ago. "You're my mother," she stuttered.

Virginia could only stare back at the female half-elf standing before her. Was this truly the daughter that she left behind in Iselia ten years ago? "Raine? Is that you?" she pulled the door wider and looked closely at Raine, "Last time I saw you, you weren't even a teenager yet." The two continued their strange staring match, creating an awkward situation. Stepping near the door, Regal loudly cleared his throat. That seemed to break the silence, as Virginia opened the door fully and let the threesome into the unit.

The interior of the unit was no different than the aisles; mouldy walls, leaky pipes, and dimly lit. Virginia sat at a chair on what resembled a dining room table while the three gathered around her. "Well, I guess I owe Raine an explanation, don't I?" she asked sheepishly, "I haven't been the same since that incident, and I haven't gone back since."

"You abandoned us," Raine sputtered, "Everyone thought you were dead for the last ten years. And now here you are, hiding in some slum and sneaking around Exire, harassing people left and right? Since when did my mother sink this low?"

Virginia shook her head vehemently. "It was the others that made me like this," she replied, staring at Raine angrily, "When I returned to Heimdall ten years ago, little did I know those isolationists on the council would betray a fellow elf by siding with Cruxis. Cruxis bribed some Heimdall security members to allow them in, all because of revenge. Well, they got what they wanted, and I was captured by Cruxis."

"Wait, revenge? What are you talking about?" Raine asked, "Heimdall's elves let you back in, even though we had…oh no! Do you mean Grandpa and Dad?"

Virginia nodded. "They still never forgave John for his intrusion into Heimdall, and me for marrying your father. And now, with Cruxis in the act, they handed me over and allowed them to do all sorts of strange experiments to me. For years, I was nothing but their prisoner, enduring their torture for years here in Exire," she spat spitefully.

"And when John and Kloitz got wind of Cruxis activities six years ago, they came to find you," Regal interrogated the elf, "It was in that incident that their plane crashed. You took it as an opportunity to escape Cruxis, and ended up with my friend Ellis."

Virginia smirked at Regal. "Did they tell you that the plane crash involving John and Kloitz was also courtesy of Cruxis?" she retorted, staring daggers into the Lezareno CEO, "They found the underground prisoners' hold in Cruxis headquarters. Fortunately, years of experiments on me made me more sensitive to mana and mana manipulation. I could have gotten out myself by casting mana spells, but to ensure that John and Kloitz weren't caught, I chose to let them go back out to get help first. While Cruxis searched around for John and Kloitz, I escaped and planned to meet them later. But Cruxis had developed a type of mana gun, and the second their plane took off, they shot it down. None of the three on board, the pilot, John, and Kloitz survived."

The threesome could only look on as they heard the sad tale, but Raine remained undaunted. Wiping her tears, she questioned her mother again. "That still doesn't explain why you haven't come back. You could have returned and let the military deal with this, but why have you misled us about your death? Do you know what pain we went through back in Iselia? Genis thought he lost both his parents for good!" Raine snapped.

"No one seems to be successful at defeating Cruxis at the time, so I had to stay and fight. But it was Cruxis' own inventions that would be their downfall. You see, they experimented with that Exsphere thing, and I managed to gain mana spells for battle and healing from it. And I swore that until Cruxis is defeated here, I won't go back to Iselia yet." Virginia moved her face closer to Raine's, her tone almost murderous, "They killed our family in cold blood, Raine. I can't sit passively and watch them proceed with their sick acts. I must put an end to this, and since you're here, you should help me."

Just as this was said, Raine's cell phone rang. She left the table and headed to a corner. Although they could not hear, Lloyd and Regal realized whatever news Raine had received, it could not possibly be good. It was only confirmed when Raine returned to them. "I got news from Mizuho. Grandma and Colette had been transformed into some monsters, and require the cure immediately. Let's go pick the herbs up," she informed them.

Lloyd and Regal nodded as they headed for the door. Raine looked at her mother one last time, angry at her selfish actions. "You can still come with us," she told the elf, "I'm sure Grandma would like to see your face one last time before she dies."

Virginia shook her head vehemently. "My job is here, and I'll fight Cruxis to the death. But if you want, there is something I want to teach you," Virginia offered, "Even when you were little, you were interested in healing mana. If you're still interested in it, I wish to transfer this skill to you. This will only take a few minutes. Do you accept?"

* * *

Sheena tried to catch her breath as she finally arrived onto the roof of the Tower of Mana, just outside of Luin. The military plane had just landed in Luin, and she was in a vehicle to get her to the tower when Mark called to inform her of the deteriorating conditions of Lynn and Colette. Knowing that they had little time left, Sheena hurried her way to the tower, and bolted up the stairs as fast as her legs could carry her.

Now, standing before the last summon spirit's pedestal, she knew this would be her last mission. All eight major summon spirits in charge of the stability of the world's mana are now at hand, Sheena thought, with their pieces, we can withstand any Cruxis attack, but I just hope Luna and Aska would give me an extra piece.

Taking another deep breath, she stepped up to the pedestal and summoned the spirits. With a brilliant flash, a maiden sitting on a crescent shape and a two-headed bird stood before her. "You must be Luna," Sheena stated, pointing to the maiden, "and this bird must be Aska. My name is Sheena, and I require your help."

"Yes, I can sense it," Luna replied, "The mana at other areas of summon spirits had been quite unstable. I can only imagine some disturbances were happening." Luna looked closely at Sheena, trying to read her expression before continuing on, "It seems thou art worried over something other than the state of the world."

Sheena swallowed. Since when did Luna gain the ability to read minds? But nonetheless, she needed to raise the important issues with her. "Not only is our world in danger, but the group causing the threat also plans to endanger the lives of two of my close friends. They require a cure to remove an Exsphere implanted into their bodies, and only a piece of mana can activate it. Please, since there are two of you, give me an extra piece of mana," she pleaded, hoping for a positive response.

Luna glanced over at Aska, who seemed more uncomfortable than Sheena in discussing this topic. "Normally, it's Luna who gives out mana pieces. She'll test all those who request to see whether they're worthy or not before making a decision on it. I only stick around to help her out," the large bird replied sheepishly, "I really don't have any special abilities of my own. I don't see how any of my mana can help you."

"Do not speak ill of thyself, Aska," Luna tried comforting her companion, "Thou art worthy of being my companion. Thou hast many abilities to make thyself strong!"

"But if she's so desperate to save the world and her friends at the same time, why not just send her to Maxwell or Corrine or someone like that?" Aska whispered back.

"Maxwell and Corrine have never been part of the original pact to manage the world's mana. Maxwell was the one who, under the original summoner's orders, put Exire back to the ground, and Corrine did not return to the group until shortly before the Reunification. Thou art the only hope for her," Luna explained, urging Aska to help.

Sheena looked on anxiously as the large bird pondered over his options. Time slowly ticked by as the threats became larger, both to the world, and to the health of Lynn and Colette. Finally, after some gentle coaxing from Luna, Aska agreed to cooperate with Sheena. "But if you want cures against mana diseases, you should check out a book by Dr. Boltzmann," Aska told Sheena, "Last time a summoner came, I remembered it was at the main floor bookcase, but I'm not sure if a healer in that group returned it afterwards."

"So, Sheena," Luna continued, turning to face the Mizuho native, "What had thou brought to us to prove thy worthiness?" she asked.

* * *

As Lloyd, Raine and Regal sped into the hospital at Mizuho, they could see a state of pure panic as hospital staff and police officers gathered around the area. Just outside of the main entrance was George, who waved them over as they exited the vehicle. "I've brought the ingredients from Flanoir, so all we need is to mix them with your herbs and the cure will be almost complete," he informed the group.

"But we still require a mana piece, and Sheena's not here yet," Lloyd observed as the police checked them to ensure they were safe to let into the hospital, "By the way, has Genis been informed of this yet? And where's Dr. Brunel?"

"Both Dr. Brunel and Dr. Owen were inside earlier, and the young half-elf has been notified of this matter, and should arrive shortly. Ever since the patients transformed into monsters, there's been difficulty trying to hold them down. I've heard they broke out of their floor, and now police is surrounding the area," George explained, "I got here not long ago, so I don't know too much more than you do."

Just as this was said, Genis and Ricardo charged up to them. "I heard the news," Genis panted, "Where's Grandma? Is she okay? What happened to her?"

Just as this was said, a loud explosion rocked the lobby area. The group standing outside of the entrance were nearly thrown off their feet. But both Genis and Ricardo could feel that the explosion was mana based, and was caused by a mana projectile. Nodding to each other, they sprung into action. "That might be one of Lynn or Colette, we'll investigate it right now," Ricardo called out as they charged into the building, "Look around the area and see if you can find the other one."

Lloyd and Raine charged off to find the other patient while Regal and George slipped aside to somewhere safe. "We'll put together the cure, and I'll come find you later on," he announced, "Don't try to subdue them. They may be dangerous."

As Lloyd and Raine stepped around George and Regal, they could see one of the patients in monster form just ahead. Somehow, she managed to jump out of the floor she was on, and onto the courtyard. Police already gathered around it, with most officers having already drawn their firearms. The officers were confused with how to properly handle this situation. The monster posed a threat to public safety, but inside, it was also a normal human being: a seventeen-year-old girl, to be exact.

But as the monster flailed its arms and beat back a few officers, what was left of the hospital gown flapped open, revealing the top half of the sternum. A bright glittering reflection of light flashed towards Lloyd, and he knew who this was. "It's Colette!" he exclaimed, grabbing Raine's arm, "We can't let her get shot!" And before Raine could even react, Lloyd burst through the plants and jumped into the courtyard. "Stop, don't shoot! That's my friend!" he yelled to the police, waving his arms. Officers on the frontlines froze as a human bystander blocked their path.

Finally, Raine took action. Instead of jumping right in, she stepped out to the side of the courtyard and waved at Lloyd to get out of the way. "Colette can't hear you right now, she's in her mana monster form," Raine called to Lloyd, "If you don't get out now, she might hurt you, and the police would be forced to shoot. Please, be reasonable."

But Lloyd stood his ground, positioning himself in front of what was supposed to be Colette. The mana monster was a bit dazed, swaying back and forth. One look at those arms and everyone knew Lloyd was risking his life. But nonetheless, the hard-headed teen refused to leave his friend. "That's my friend, I've known her for ten years," he informed the crowd, "When I was little and my father's out of town, I would stay at the Brunels, and she was my true friend throughout this time. We grew up with the tightest of bonds, and I won't let anything bad happen to her. She's going to live, and I'll be by her side when she recovers. So please, I beg of you, don't shoot her," he pleaded to the police.

The police, along with everyone else, were surprised at Lloyd's actions. Was he truly prepared to sacrifice his own life just to save the patient? Some officers eased up their stances, but kept their guns trained on the mana monster, just in case it attacked. Seeing the situation had calmed somewhat, Lloyd turned around to face Colette. "I know you're in there, and I know you're struggling to keep the Exsphere from controlling you. But we have a cure, and we want to help you. Please, Colette, hang on for a bit longer." And as this was said, Lloyd gently gripped Colette's hand and held it in his own.

Raine was amazed at the scene before her. Lloyd was truly going to stick to his goal of curing Colette, and would risk being attacked by the transformed teenager. As more thoughts and emotions poured through her head, George and Regal finally stepped up with a partially completed cure. "We mixed the herbs in with the solution of zircon and mana leaf herb, so it should at least dampen the Exsphere's effects," Regal explained.

Raine nodded as George stepped through the bushes to apply the cure onto Colette. The police inched forward to ensure Colette could not escape while George did his work. "Don't worry, it'll be fine," Lloyd stated soothingly, still holding onto her hand.

But while things were going well with Lloyd and Colette, Genis and Ricardo did not have such luck with Lynn. Instead of falling outside the building, Lynn was at the centre of the lobby, and like Colette, she was doing much damage to the surroundings. But this situation was even more precarious, as just down the hall was the Intensive Care Unit, which housed severely injured patients that were in difficulty of evacuating. Any wrong moves by Lynn in the lobby, and all those lives could be endangered.

Ricardo did an earth spell, changing the ground around Lynn as he tried to contain the mana monster. Genis, meanwhile, cast a lightning spell, using electricity to paralyze Lynn so the cure could be brought to them. They had some success for the moment, as Lynn staggered around blindly and confused. But soon enough, Lynn released a blast of mana and blew apart the surrounding area, including her temporary prison. "Genis, if we let her continue blasting away, those ICU people will die for sure," Ricardo called over, "We have to use more force to subdue her as quickly as we can."

"Hey, that's my grandma you're talking about," Genis snapped back, annoyed at Ricardo's attitude towards Lynn, "What if we go too far and end up killing her?"

Just as Ricardo was about to reply, Lynn swiped the elf elder hard. As Ricardo tried to regain balance, Lynn swung at him again, sending him right into the wall. "No, Ricardo!" Genis shouted. But it was no use, as Ricardo was knocked out cold.

Turning to Lynn, Genis cast yet another spell. This time, icicles appeared from the ground and froze onto Lynn's feet. Genis then combined that with a stone blast spell, forcing boulders to bury her up to her knees. "Grandma, I'm sorry for doing this," Genis muttered, tears swelling from his eyes. Lifting his hand into the air, he returned to using the electric spell to paralyze her grandmother. The lightning hit squarely on Lynn's head, travelling through her body before paralyzing her, causing her to fall to the floor.

"Grandma!" Genis yelled, dashing forward to catch her as she tumbled. Ricardo was starting to stir as Genis felt around Lynn's neck. Fortunately, there was a pulse, but it was so weak and irregular that without the cure or medical attention, he would be sure to lose her. "Grandma, don't die, what will I do without you?" Genis sobbed, holding Lynn tight. He was so intent on preventing the loss of the only person that was his provider that he did not notice Regal and George barge in, cure in hand to use on Lynn.

* * *

At Exire military headquarters, both Lieutenant Tiga, who had arrived in the city a few days ago, and Captain Noishe, who was asked to accompany the military in this operation, spoke frantically on their phones. Tiga was informed by the military mole that Cruxis' operations would begin tonight, and that the military should best get prepared. "This is a map of the area, and here's where the mole told us that Rodyle would pay least attention to," he put his mole on hold as he poured over the details with the commanders. Knowing he was part of the action as well, he wanted this executed to perfection.

Meanwhile, Captain Noishe was not having as much luck with his call. He was communicating with his SIU counterpart in Iselia, Captain Burton, telling him of Gil's clues of the Cruxis mole in Iselia. "What do you mean you put her on leave? The entire intent is to keep everyone in the unit until the identity is revealed!" Noishe sputtered.

"Her parents may be hurt by the attacks on Ozette, Arthur," Burton retorted on the other side, "You have to show some compassion towards that, given her situation."

Noishe was unimpressed by the response, and warned Burton to keep an eye on things in the unit, but especially for Presea's return. "If she manages to help Cruxis in the operations in the days ahead, and Cruxis takes a big lead against us, you'll be solely responsible," Noishe threatened his counterpart, slapping his phone shut. Shaking his head, he approached the military personnel and listened in on their plans. Inside, Noishe was worried for Gil's safety, as he might be caught in the line of fire of not just regular police, but the military. "We might be alright for tonight, no?" he asked Tiga.

"As long as something unexpected, like a breakdown of the systems, doesn't happen, I think we'll be fine," Tiga replied, "With time, we should take out their main weapon, and send a crew into the back to take out the prisoners in no time at all."

But as Noishe and Tiga discussed this matter, a potential breakdown of the system was inevitable. Across town, a pink-haired young woman had her laptop open, pouring through the commands of Cruxis' computer systems. Presea Combatir had been an expert at computer technology, and hacking through Rodyle's system was nothing special. "I'm into his mainframe now," Presea said into her phone, reporting the details to Forcystus in Iselia, "All I have to do is deactivate his codes and transfer them over to you."

After being informed, Forcystus put her on hold to relay orders his men. Presea slowly put her phone back down, rubbing her temples as she pondered her options. She did not like this type of activity, and would want no more than to exit Cruxis and regain her identity. With Burton and her SIU colleagues showing her that trust and compassion, she felt she was betraying them by doing this. But nonetheless, with Cruxis controlling the Exsphere and no cure in sight, she had no choice. Sighing, she turned her attention back to the computer and continued hacking away.

* * *

Please note that Genis' spells are all elementary basic spells you see in the game (Stone Blast, Lightning, Icicle, etc). This is because I want him to actually learn the harder spells by years of training, rather than go Gary-Stu on everyone and blast Lynn to bits after one week of work with Ricardo. Have a happy new year, and we'll see you all in 2008!


	30. The Tethe'alla Departure, Part 1

Reviews came from **I.K.A. Valian**, **Mandrakefunnyjiuce**, and **Poet Bucky**. This is truly the "beginning of the end" of my story, as we start to resolve many of the important issues we've touched on. Look for more sequences relating to the Infernal Affairs Trilogy and The Departed in the following chapters, it's going to be a wild ride.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

Nightfall in Exire usually meant peace and quiet for its citizens. There had not been an explosive evening since the Sages had their plane shot down over the bay years ago. As the residents prepared for another peaceful evening, little did they know that another dangerous event was about to occur in their neck of the woods. "Gather around, everyone," Rodyle called to his Cruxis members from his headquarters, "We have nearly succeeded in the final step of our conquest for the world."

Cruxis members slowly filed forward as they observed the strange machines and computers flashing and beeping before them. "I have before you today, a device so powerful, that even the guardians of the world's mana must tremble before me," Rodyle beamed, "Behold, the Mana Cannon. This machine can gather all of the surrounding mana and shoot it out in one projectile. With this, we will achieve our goal, at last!"

As Rodyle announced this, his group cheered loudly, waving hands and chanting. But at the back, two unimpressed humans had other plans. "Gil, this is how we'll work it out. Rodyle and Vharley are too focused on the Exspheres being loaded onto the cannon, and they won't look this way too often. When they start doing that stuff, we'll deliver the Exspheres from the back to them. But the second the boxes dwindle in numbers, you take off for the prisoners hold. There, free Seles and the others and see if you can get them out from the sewers. There should be a way out from there," Zelos explained.

Gil nodded, looking at his watch to estimate how much time he would need. "I don't think I'll take any more than ten to fifteen minutes. What should we do after we get them out? We can't just leave them in the middle of the streets, you know. And what about Rodyle and his machine, do you have a solution for that?" Gil retorted.

"Last time I spoke with Seles, I told her what to do. All you have to do is get them out, and the rest should be fine," Zelos replied, "And I figured that we will run into difficulty with Rodyle's Mana Cannon, so I have another secret weapon up my sleeves. I'll tell you about it when you get back inside after freeing the prisoners."

Gil shook his head, still having reservations about it. His trains of thought kept on getting interrupted by Rodyle's speech to rally his team. "We will finally have a world to ourselves, a world where half-elves don't take orders from humans. With the Mana Cannon and Derris Kharlan on our side, we will not fail!" Amidst the cheering, Rodyle bent down and whispered to Vharley, "Put in the coordinates for the Mana Tree into the Cannon, it should be at the northwest quadrant of Sylvarant," he ordered his lieutenant.

Vharley nodded and prepared to file off to the machine. But before he left, he asked his superior, "What about Kuchinawa? Should we wait for him?"

Rodyle shook his head. "Don't bother," he replied, "It's his idea to go on this crazy mission to stop the summoner from getting Volt anyway. I couldn't care less whether he'll survive this one. Once you're done with the coordinates, we'll start setting the Exspheres in, and then we'll prepare for the firing." And as Vharley prepared the cannon, Rodyle ordered other Cruxis members to bring in the Exspheres.

As Gil and Zelos moved to bring in the first box of refined Exspheres, Gil could not help but ask the redhead, "Why did Rodyle require so many Exspheres on his Mana Cannon? Doesn't that make the cannon more unstable?"

"To an extent yes, but Exspheres are also used to gather mana around them, so to have this many on the cannon means a lot of mana will be gathered. Just imagine how destructive this thing will be," Zelos replied as they carried the box over.

As more boxes were moved from one end of the room to the other, Zelos took a peek at the back door. There were still some boxes in the way, making a perfect screen for anyone who wanted to slip out. Glancing back at Rodyle, he could see the Cruxis leader putting the Exspheres onto his Mana Cannon, his attention focused solely on the task and not noticing even the areas around him, let alone the other side of the room. Seizing the opportunity, he waved to Gil and whipped his head in the direction of the door. Gil heeded the order and quickly moved out, with Zelos going to the back to pick up another box, just to ensure nobody suspected anything unusual. As he handed the box off, he muttered to himself, "Now it's my turn to act."

* * *

Things were finally calming down in Mizuho, as the two mana monsters were quarantined and put under high security. Frank and Phoebe, who were both in Colette's room when she transformed, suffered injuries and had to seek medical attention while the others watched over Lynn and Colette. As they waited, Raine updated Genis on the events of the past few days, including the reunion with their mother. "It turns out that she's in Exire the entire time, planning an attack on Cruxis," she concluded.

Genis' grew to the size of plates as Raine revealed the situation. "So if she's attacking Cruxis, then we have to help her. She can't possibly take on Cruxis by herself. Besides, if Cruxis did do those nasty things to her, then all the more for us to check if she's alright," Genis exclaimed, half in shock and half in desperation.

"Well, just calm down for now. Mom had said she won't leave Exire until she's defeated Cruxis, so it's useless to convince her of anything else," Raine replied, "But I'm convinced that she's not alone in this. After all, there is a military base nearby, so if there is activity from Cruxis, I'll sure they'll notice and take action as well."

"And you're okay with that," Genis retorted, unimpressed by his sister's attitude, "This is Mom we're talking about. I haven't seen her since I was two years old, and just like Grandma, I thought she was dead. Now Grandma is in a dangerous condition after I hit her with a spell, and she's not even caring? That's ridiculous!" Genis spat.

"It's out of my hands, Genis. If she doesn't want to come, then who am I to force her? You think I'm happy with her attitude, and the decision she made?" Raine asked.

Genis turned his head away in frustration and anger. How could his mother be so cold towards their family's crisis? As if her getting captured was not enough for the Sage family, but to escape afterwards and witness John and Kloitz's plane shot down, and then hid in Exire all these years just to get some revenge? In Genis' mind, this made very little sense. "Even if she was intent on attacking Cruxis for what they did to her and Dad and Grandpa, it still isn't right for her to isolate herself from us," Genis murmured. Turning back to Raine, he asked, "So after the visit, you pretty much came back empty-handed?"

"Not really, because Mom taught me a mana spell that may be useful. When Mom was captured, they experimented mana spells on her. Through that she picked up the ability to manipulate mana, but especially with healing," Raine described, "She taught me a little something that can help injured people here heal faster, too."

Again, Genis was put in complete shock, as he did not realize that Raine had abilities with mana as well. "But before you get too excited, I just want to warn you that it's a very basic spell, capable of healing only minor injuries," Raine explained, "For more serious ones like Ricardo, who hit his head; Frank and Phoebe, who were directly hit by Colette; and even Colette and Grandma themselves, the spell may not have as large an effect. It may only lessen their suffering, but not heal them completely."

Nevertheless, Genis requested a demonstration, which was seconded by Lloyd and Regal. Even when they were present in Virginia's apartment, they had very little understanding of what Virginia taught Raine, hence Lloyd and Regal were also intent on seeing what healing mana could do to the body. Looking around, Raine saw Mark sitting just behind the group. Waving her hand, she beckoned him forward and seated him down.

"Mana, as most of you know, exists inside the body, but is exclusive of the human immune system," Raine lectured the group like she was lecturing her classes, "What I know from studying ancient mana healing techniques is that ancient healers, such as my namesake, would feel for the mana balance in the body, and shift a slight amount of mana to the injured area. It doesn't do enough to disrupt the balance in the long run, because in a person's regular recovery the mana tends to cycle around and rebalance itself."

As she finished her explanation, Raine put her hand on the bridge of Mark's nose and did a circular massaging action. Around her, the crowd could only observe in awe as some bright colours appeared and disappeared around and behind the bandage on Mark's nose. "How are you feeling, Dr. Owen?" George asked as Mark now closed his eyes. It seemed like the Mizuho native was rather enjoying this treatment.

But before Mark could respond, Raine pulled her hand back, with the colours on his nose slowly dissipating, swirling back into his skin like a whirlpool. "You're healed," Raine announced, "You can remove your bandage and take a look."

Mark slowly peeled the bandage off like the skin of an orange. The people looked on eagerly as more skin was revealed. Then, as the entire bridge of his nose appeared, the crowd could not believe their eyes: the nasty gash that should have been there was gone!

* * *

Gil sneaked down the stairs and into the basement area of the headquarters again. Positioning himself just outside the mechanical door, he checked around the area, and picked up an object wrapped in a piece of cloth. "Good, nobody seemed to have noticed," he muttered to himself as he checked the firearm. Knowing that in the past Zelos had left him defenceless before, he took no chances. Smuggling a gun out of the headquarters, he planted it here for use tonight. He still did not trust Zelos completely, but if it allowed him to step aside, maybe he could feed Noishe more information.

Slowly, he typed in the password to the door, which opened with a loud hiss. He figured that he had left the central control room for a little more than five minutes, and had plenty of time to spare, provided the prisoners cooperated and got out in due time. As he headed down the passageway to the prisoners' hold, he whipped out his phone and sent Noishe a text message informing him of the events at Cruxis.

Upon receiving the message at military headquarters, Noishe stepped up to Tiga and showed him Gil's progress. Tiga nodded, concurring with the former Protozoan. "I know our military mole is about to disable the cannon, all he needs now is a distraction," Tiga explained, "He also told me the prisoners are on the way out, having sent a Cruxis member to free them. I wonder who's going to betray Cruxis to carry out this crazy plan."

Noishe shrugged. "I doubt it's my mole, since he hasn't told me anything about that. He told me he's aware of the prisoners, but I told him to focus on the task at hand. He hasn't given me any information as to what he plans to do next," he replied.

Tiga nodded. Turning back to the military teams, he barked out some orders and demanded for a report. Military personnel came up to him with communication papers and updated him on the actions. Satisfied, he gave his final orders. "When the cannon finally shut down, we go in for the kill. Everybody get prepared, understand?" he said.

While Tiga focused on his task, Noishe wrote a text message back to Gil, warning him of the upcoming events. Gil could only chuckle as he received it just before entering the prisoners' hold. "You don't make things easy for me, do you, Captain?" he muttered. Putting his phone away, he cocked his firearm and entered the prisoners' hold. "My name is Gil, and I'm getting you guys out of here," he announced. He moved to the side to push the main switch that Zelos told him would control all the locks. To his expectations, the bars for each cell began rising. Slowly but surely, the prisoners would be free to go.

But little did Gil know Zelos had timed Gil's moves perfectly. Knowing that Gil would be at, if not near, the prisoners' hold by now, he called out to Rodyle in a voice loud enough for everybody to hear. "While we're all marvelling over the Mana Cannon and congratulating each other, doesn't anyone find it suspicious that the prisoners are unguarded?" he asked openly, "I won't be surprised if they're getting away right now."

Rodyle eyed Zelos suspiciously, wondering what he was up to. He stopped setting the Exspheres and signalled to Vharley to check on the situation. With a click of a button on the computer, the camera for the prisoners' hold was zoomed in. Indeed, there was Gil freeing the prisoners and lining them up to leave. "That Gil, I knew he was up to no good. I bet Forcystus told him to do this just to mess us up," Vharley snarled.

Rodyle was emotionless. Looking at his team, he ordered them to head out to the prisoners' hold. "It'll take pretty much all of us just to get them back, provided Gil didn't arm anyone of them," he stated, fuming in anger.

The team followed his orders and filed out, each checking their firearms. Zelos was among the last to leave, and just before stepping out, he took one last look at the monitor. Gil was seen moving into the final cells, where Seles and Altessa were located. Breathing a sigh of relief, knowing that those two would be alright, Zelos slipped out of the control room, leaving Rodyle and Vharley alone.

But instead of heading off with the rest of the team, Zelos waited until they were all out of sight, and slid off to the side. Despite the Mana Cannon being controlled from the main room, there was a separate room that had all the computer programs that carried out the commands. His mission was to disable or stall the cannon long enough for Seles to escape, and the rest would be taken care of outside.

Zelos stepped into this side room and up to the main computers, searching for the input station that allowed him to insert his virus program. Finally, he spotted it. Near the bottom of the main machine, about a foot from the ground was the main input device. Zelos smiled as he pulled out a memory stick from his pocket.

But before he could even move, the machine whirled loudly and lights flashed in an odd pattern. It was as if the computers were shutting down, and Zelos hadn't even touched them yet. Surprised, he stepped back a bit, leaning his head towards the door, trying to listen in on Rodyle and Vharley. From where he stood, Zelos could not hear any calls of concern from the main control room. That meant Rodyle and Vharley probably did not notice the events. I better figure out a way to restart this thing, Zelos thought.

Then, as suddenly as it had shut down, the machines roared back to life, and Zelos was given a second chance to insert his program. Checking that nothing was wrong with the main machine, he inserted his memory stick and let his program load. He pressed a few buttons, and a few minutes later, his virus was completely loaded into the computer. Satisfied, he pulled the stick out from the machine and stepped out of the room. He still had to check if Seles made it out, so he must find a way to exit the building unnoticed.

But little did Zelos know that his program had no effect on the mainframe, as a certain laptop across town had noticed the over-ride. "No move by Rodyle would stop my work," Presea murmured as she re-programmed the main computer. Sending in her own commands, she wiped out Zelos' bug completely, and re-inserted the one that transferred the controls to Forcystus. "Nothing's stopping us now," she stated, executing her code.

* * *

Gil led the prisoners through a narrow passageway that took them to the sewers. Knowing that he had the dark as an advantage, it would be harder for Cruxis to track them underground. Of course, he also had a lot of help, as Seles also gave the prisoners instructions on how to leave. "I can't just leave you out in the streets," Gil explained to Seles, "I can't accompany you out either, since I promised Zelos I had to go back to him. Could you lead them out after we leave the manhole?" Gil requested.

Seles nodded. "I'll open it right now, and check if it's safe," she informed Gil as she climbed out the ladder. The prisoners all looked on anxiously as they were about to witness their first taste of freedom, something that some of them had not experienced in years. There was nervous chatter as the large metal plate was pushed out of the way, the scraping sound echoing through the tunnels. "We're good, bring them out," Seles called.

One by one, the prisoners climbed up and crawled through the hole. Gil stood at the ladder, making sure all the people had been accounted for. Although Altessa was near the front, he refused to leave until he got Gil to carry through on his promise. "Please, if you get back to Iselia, help me find Presea Combatir," he begged.

But before Gil could even answer, he heard some noise from the passageway that they took from the prisoners' hold. "It's empty, they're all gone!" a voice yelled. Gil cursed under his breath as he realized they were being followed. Immediately, he turned to the prisoners and urged them to move faster. Footsteps could be heard as even Altessa helped pull more people onto the ladder. "There they are!" the voice shouted again, and within seconds, the sewers were filled with sounds of gunshots.

Prisoners screamed and ducked for cover as bullets flew through the air. "Altessa, get them out of here. Don't worry about me!" Gil yelled amidst the bullets. He had to get to a safe spot as Cruxis members marched towards them. He could see Altessa and Seles tried dragging some injured prisoners onto the ladder, having been shot in various places by Cruxis guns. Holding his breath, Gil stuck half his arm out and opened fire on Cruxis. I've got to create a diversion, he thought to himself.

He glanced down the tunnel and pondered his options. He was unsure where the sewers led to, or where there might be another opening. But if it could lead Cruxis away from the prisoners, maybe it was worth the risk. He eyeballed the ladder and could see the last prisoner making the climb, followed by Seles and Altessa. Nodding, he fired back at the Cruxis members, many of whom already in sight, before dashing down the tunnel.

Water splashed around as Gil's feet slapped across the wet ground. He could still hear some Cruxis members behind him. He was about to pick up speed when he noticed yet another exit route to his side. This one probably led to an emergency exit for workers that frequented down here. Quietly, he slipped off to the side, holding his breath and remaining silent as an army of Cruxis members blew by. Exhaling once the final people left, he whipped out his phone and wrote a text message Noishe warning him of the emergency. "That guy better get help over here, or else nobody's safe," he muttered.

And as he pressed send while struggling to open the side door, Gil did not notice a large fire blast go through the manhole the prisoners escaped from, sending some Cruxis members flying down. Through the charred bodies, an elf with silver hair climbed down and sent another blast down the tunnel, blowing back more people. The elf moved to the narrow passageway that led into the prisoners' hold, with only vengeance on her mind.

* * *

The shrill beeping of his cell phone caused Noishe to excuse himself from the final briefing Tiga was giving to his troops. Flipping open his phone, he took a quick glance at the message and realized the precarious situation. Tiga was unlikely to back down from his decision, and knowing that Gil would have not just military, but Cruxis personnel chasing him, his safety became that much harder to take care of.

"Let's not mess this one up, alright? Let's move," Tiga announced as the military filed out. Noishe took the chance to approach Tiga before heading out to warn him of the situation Gil was in, and that he might, if not careful, be caught in the crossfire. Although Tiga was concerned, he did not seem to be worried about it the least. "I have a mole in there as well, I won't be reckless either," he assured Noishe.

Hesitant, Noishe followed them out to the streets. The warehouse district was just down the road from them, and Noishe felt he was marching to his doom rather than to victory. Surveying the to-be battle scene like an army strategist, he could not help but wonder what would happen to his friend. Knowing that he was only there as an advisor, Noishe had not real control over where the military would take their operation, let alone get involved. "Gil, wherever you are, stay safe, alright?" he muttered.

But little did Noishe know that Tiga did have something planned to deal with the moles. While he gave further commands to the field leaders, he sneaked off to the side and through the warehouses. His mole promised him they would meet at the waterfront, and figure out the situation with the police mole later. Stepping on the cold concrete and snaking through the old warehouses, the rusty smell of decaying metals attacked his nose, causing him to pick up the pace even more. Writing a text message, he sent it to his mole to inform him that he was coming. By this point, they could not turn back now.

Likewise, Zelos was also on his way out of Cruxis headquarters, trying to reach the streets to reunite with Seles. He hurried through the narrow gap as military personnel marched through. Shouts were heard and doors were knocked down as the operation was under way. As shots were exchanged, the redhead ducked into a corner behind a small tool shack. Trying to catch his breath, he felt his belt buckle and pulled out a gun himself.

But, as luck would have it, the military barging into Cruxis headquarters meant the open area was unguarded, and that was when a certain undercover police officer emerged from the sewers. Gil had the scare of his life as he dodged Cruxis bullets while going into the prisoners' hold. He managed to free all the prisoners, but knowing that Cruxis was onto him that quickly, he realized that he was set up. "That Zelos," he spat as he returned into the warehouse district, "If I find him, I will kill him for sure."

As he hobbled through the warehouses, he could see a lone shadow moving in the waterfront. Although he could not make out the face, he realized that the person was frantically dialling for someone or something, or maybe was even typing a text message. He inched closer to get a listen in, and within seconds, he recognized the voice. "Seles got out already, I'm at the waterfront right now," the voice spoke into the phone.

"Zelos Wilder," Gil snarled. Grimacing, he pulled out his firearm and charged out from the warehouses. "Wilder, you've betrayed me for the last time!" he called out.

Zelos turned to see an incensed Gilbert Irving barrelling down the stairs on him. Instinctively, he whipped out his own gun and fired. Zelos thought he had the advantage with the shack covering, but Gil also managed to put up a shield for himself, hugging the walls on the way down, letting many of the blasts go around him, rather than at him. It was not sure how many shots came from each side, but after a few minutes, Zelos was down to his last bullet. Frustrated, he realized he had to make his one shot count.

Hearing the silence, Gil also took advantage of the situation. He slid down the handrail instead of using the stairs, avoiding the footsteps sound to prevent Zelos from knowing how close he was. But his landing was mistimed, as he landed on the metal floor with a clang. Zelos took the chance to stick his entire torso out to get a good shot, just as Gil whipped around in time to get a good view of Zelos. The two guns fired at the same time, the bullets sizzling through the air and headed straight for their targets.

* * *

As the military barged their way through the headquarters, Vharley could not help but worry over what it meant for their project. Should military personnel be charging in, they would try to disable the Mana Cannon for sure. "We can't let them do anything to jeopardize all the progress made," Vharley stated from the computer, "You want to put up our defensive plan when they arrive?"

"Don't worry, give it a couple more minutes," Rodyle replied, loading the last few Exspheres onto the cannon, "It doesn't take that long to access the command that puts up the protective shield. That shield was personally designed by me, and it makes the cannon indestructible to almost everything, even a powerful mana spell. There's no way the army can tear this thing down," he explained, his tone brimming with confidence.

Just as he said this, the military kicked down the door as an entire squadron had their weapons pointed at the two men. "Give it up, guys," the squad leader called, "We have you surrounded. Disable your machine, step away from the computer, and put your hands in the air. We don't want to use force any more than you do."

"You don't want to use force any more than I do? I guess that means you really want to use force then," Rodyle retorted. Then, against all expectations, the Cruxis leader grabbed a strange weapon, different than other Cruxis leaders, and sent a blast of mana to the military's direction. The shot threw back a few people, making the group disoriented. As the field commander tried to re-group, Rodyle ordered Vharley to put up the shield.

While Vharley typed furiously into the computer, Rodyle stepped into a strange suit. "This suit is made from controlling several Exspheres, making it very powerful in terms of mana control. I'd like to see how this modern military can handle such power," he sneered. As gadgets and systems whirled, Rodyle suddenly became bigger and taller, with what seemed like a rock-hard exterior and several projectiles prepared for launch on various parts of the suit. In a nutshell, the military found him downright menacing.

Undaunted, the field commander prepared his team to shoot to kill. Just next to the Mana Cannon, Vharley inserted the program for the cannon shield, and a strange metallic layer unfolded from the platform and wrapped itself around the cannon. "We'll have to use our weapons," the commander ordered, "Fire away at will!"

As that was said, guns blazed as the military opened fire on the monster and the Mana Cannon. Vharley could only duck under his workstation as bullets whizzed through the air. However, neither Rodyle nor the cannon were affected, as most bullets mainly bounced off of it. "You can't attack me with conventional means, inferior humans," the Cruxis leader called from underneath his suit, "This suit can only be affected by mana, and none of you have the ability to use it. That, however, can't be said about me."

With that statement, Rodyle casted a spell that shook the ground, with bits of rock turning to sharp ends shooting up from under the concrete. Military members unprepared for the attack were stabbed in various parts, resulting in great damage and injury. "Retreat and re-group!" the commander shouted as he tried to avoid being hit himself. That would prove useless, as Rodyle cast another spell that broke apart the ground, causing more rock spikes to shoot up. Within minutes, the military was reduced to almost nothing, as those who managed to survive those attacks had to limp out, crying out in pain.

Rodyle turned back to Vharley and ask him to check on the commands. "Make sure the cannon is still operational and undamaged," he barked, "I want everything to be running after I take out those other military people waiting outside."

But before Vharley could do anything, a blade of air blasted across the room and slammed into the bald man, pinning him against the wall and gave him a cut down the middle. As Vharley struggled to regain footing, a ball of air surrounded him and slashed at him mercilessly. Before long, Rodyle's lieutenant fell to the stone cold floor, all signs of life from him gone. Rodyle searched for the source of the spell, and saw a silver-haired elf standing before him with a death glare. "Hello, Rodyle, remember me?" she asked.

* * *

"You!" Gil growled as he limped towards Zelos. Zelos made his last bullet count, as it connected with Gil's lower right leg. Gil figured that the bullet either broke a part of his shin or fractured it, but it still did not stop him from trekking to the redhead, gun pointed straight at him. "Why did you betray me? We had a deal!"

Zelos did not fare as well either. Not only was he out of bullets, but Gil managed to hit his wrist. Luckily, it was only on the side, but had it hit head on, Zelos could have lost all function of his hand. Glaring at the Iselia native, Zelos managed to stutter, "I've saved Seles, and she's somewhere safe now. That's all I am going to say."

That only incensed Gil further, as he gripped Zelos by the neck, wrapping him in a headlock with his left arm. Their faces were so close together that Zelos could smell the aftershave on Gil's face. Gil had shaved earlier in the day, with his messy facial hair returning to the typical goatee he had for years. Gil placed the barrel of the gun right on Zelos' temple, threatening to shoot. Zelos, however, tried to call the bluff on Gil. "The military already surrounded the place, there's nowhere for you to go," he declared defiantly, trying to stop the bleeding on his left wrist, "One stray shot and watch what happens."

"What's going to happen is I'll pull the trigger, the bullet goes into your temple, right through your brain, and out the other side, and leaving you dead!" Gil fumed, getting angrier by the second. Zelos realized that Gil was not backing down at all.

"Nobody move!" a voice called from afar. Gil and Zelos both stared up to see a military man on the top of the stairs. "I'm Lieutenant Tiga, the lead commander of this operation. My troops have already surrounded this area. Surrender immediately, or face the consequences." Tiga also had his firearm ready and pointed at the two.

Gil stared down the military commander as Tiga slowly descended the stairs and stood right before them. He figured Tiga would not fire his weapon with Zelos as Gil's hostage. But just then, Tiga made a strange announcement. "If you want to shoot your hostage, I say go ahead. It'll save me a bullet anyway," he signalled Gil to fire away.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Zelos shouted from the waterfront, "You're not letting this psycho shoot this pretty face, are you? And you call yourself law enforcement?"

"Why not? All I have to do is report on the incident," Tiga retorted smugly, "When I was a sergeant back at the academy, I taught the course on report writing. The cadets all found my course useful, and said I was a great teacher. They even recommended me to the class next year. After killing you two, I'll write what I want. Who's going to know?"

But something between that exchange between Zelos and Tiga seemed awfully unusual to Gil. Years of reading people's expressions and observing behaviour told him that there was more to the two than that met the eye. Zelos, despite the flirtatious tone, was way too calm for the situation. Risking his own death, it almost seemed like Zelos knew there would be no shot from either side. Likewise, Tiga spoke like he didn't care about his own military career. Surely an army lieutenant wouldn't be that reckless and risk court martial, would he? Looking back and forth between Tiga and Zelos, Gil felt he should take a risk and call his bluff. "You two are in this together, aren't you?" he asked, still keeping a headlock on the redhead, "And Zelos isn't really part of Cruxis?"

Tiga smiled, seeming to understand. Lowering his firearm, he looked at Gil and replied, "And you're not really Forcystus' top lieutenant either, no?"

* * *

Before we go, I just want to make a few notes:

1.) The spells cast by Virginia, in order of appearance, are Flame Lance, Air Blade, and Air Thrust.  
2.) The spells cast by Rodyle, in order of appearance, are Grave and Stalagmite.  
3.) Gil and Zelos have no idea of each others' identities as moles. They've suspected each other of being the mole, but didn't get proof until now.

Thanks for reading and reviewing!


	31. The Tethe'alla Departure, Part 2

Our story just keeps on cranking along, and here we are with another chapter. I want to thank **Mandrakefunnyjuice**, **Poet Bucky**, and **I.K.A. Valian** for their reviews. For all three of you, I just want to assure you that there's no rush to review these chapters. Do it only when you're free, and if you have other more important obligations, it's perfectly alright to deal with them first, before you read and review my story.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

Before the Mana Cannon, Virginia battled Rodyle with the fiercest of spells. Using everything in her arsenal, the former Cruxis captive threw a flurry of mana at the Cruxis leader. But thanks to his thick suit of armour, Rodyle deflected most shots easily, and managed to fire back with his own set of spells. For almost half an hour, they battled each other to a stalemate. "Give it up, Virginia," Rodyle taunted, "You were nothing more than our inferior prisoner. You can't possibly win."

That statement infuriated Virginia even more, as her mana spells increased in power and ferocity. "The only one inferior here is you, Rodyle," she spat, "Kidnapping and subjecting me to cruel testing is nothing short of unacceptable. But how ironic is it that your own test subject will destroy you with your own spells?"

The ground spell crashed through the raised platform, weakening Rodyle's stance and armour. But it did relatively little damage to both Rodyle and the Mana Cannon. Still standing strong, Rodyle turned and blasted more sharp pillars from the ground, trying to trap Virginia in. "I'm a superior half-elf who has the ability to control mana even without elven assistance. I came up with these skills entirely on my own. I am the true master of mana spells!" Rodyle shouted as he launched boulders at Virginia.

Virginia set up a mana force field as the boulders bounced off her. From her position, it seemed like she was about to be buried by an avalanche. But nonetheless, she focused again, and blew the boulders right off her. As the rocks scattered, she returned to her air spells, used to take out Vharley earlier, and blasted Rodyle back. "You seem more like the true master of your own ego," Virginia retorted, "If you want superior half-elves, I don't mind telling you about my two kids. The way they sacrificed and fought for justice, I say they're the ones who are truly superior!"

The battle went back and forth, with no clear advantage to either side. But for Virginia, knowing that Rodyle had the heavy armour on, he was likely to outlast her in the long run. I have to figure out a plan fast, she thought to herself. She avoided another mana blast and landed just next to the exit. Perking her ears, she listened for sounds, and finally got what she was looking for. There were still military personnel around, ready to make another push into the control room. What if I got him to leave the room, and had to face those shooters, she thought, at least he would be outnumbered.

But whatever plan she decided, she had to execute it quickly, as Rodyle barged down the cracked platform at her. Reacting to the threat, Virginia cast an ice spell onto the concrete floor, making it slippery for the large armoured Cruxis leader to step down. As Rodyle struggled to maintain balance, Virginia charged out of the control room and into the hallway, towards the direction where the military was gathered.

By the time Rodyle clomped out to the open, military personnel had already surrounded him, and opened fire on the Cruxis leader. With the armour weakened in the earlier battle with Virginia, it was evident that the supposedly indestructible outer layer was showing cracks. As the military continued to bombard him, Rodyle was slowly, but surely, taking in more damage than he had imagined. Yet despite the handicap, Rodyle was not about to go down without a fight. Taking another deep breath, he swung his arm upward, and brought it to the ground in a swift motion.

The ground mana underneath him exploded as a large crack appeared on the floor, with superheated air and rocks blasting upwards at the military personnel. It was as if the entire earth was pulled open, and volcanic lava and molten rocks were thrown upward at them. Even Virginia, who was quite a distance away from the spell, felt it resonating across the open area. Whatever advantage she had gained with the military was reduced to nothing as the members were all greatly injured by the attack. Virginia cursed under her breath as more people were harmed by another failed attempt to subdue Rodyle.

But Virginia could also see Rodyle weakening, as the last spell took a lot of mana and energy out of him. What if I put a few powerful spells together and take him out altogether, she thought. She realized that it would likely do a lot of harm to her, and even permanently damage her own body. But seeing the lives lost before her, she realized she had to do it. "Raine, Genis, I'm sorry I never said it to your faces, but I hope you know that I still love you two very much," she muttered, "John and Kloitz, looks like I'll be joining you real soon. I just hope this makes a difference in our battle."

Charging out from the back, she charged up some mana and unleashed a series of ice daggers at Rodyle. The ice pieces stabbed into the armour, cracking it even more and exposing Rodyle's skin. Before Rodyle to turn, Virginia twisted around and hurled a fire sword from the skies onto Rodyle, blowing him backwards. Rodyle roared in pain as he tried to free himself of the suit, the mana around him becoming more unstable. "This is it, Rodyle," Virginia roared, turning to face the Cruxis leader, "Time to end this!"

She gathered some electric mana around their small area, the sizzling of static could be heard as electric mana gathered around Rodyle. Then, as the energy increased, a large electric sword formed and came crashing down on the Exire Cruxis leader. The force of the explosion was so great that it blew apart everything around. Given the close quarters, Virginia braced herself and protected her body as the explosion drew nearer, threatening to engulf her completely. The only thing she saw before losing consciousness was the bright light of the thunder blade slashing through whatever was left of Rodyle.

* * *

It was the dead of night in Mizuho when Sheena finally arrived in the hospital. She was notified of the transformation and following events earlier, and was asked to bring in the mana pieces to Lynn and Colette as soon as possible. "Don't go anywhere, don't do anything else, just get in and give them the cure," Raine informed her over the phone, "I'm not sure how much longer they'll last without the last ingredient."

And so, Sheena stood before the two patients in the quarantine room, viewing the grotesque sight before her. Lynn and Colette were transformed and battered to the point of no recognition, and it truly disturbed her how close they were to meeting their deaths. "I only managed one extra piece of mana, and it was given to me by Aska, who isn't part of the guardian group of summon spirits," Sheena remarked, "I could break it into two and put a piece into each person, but I'm not sure if it'll make the cure weaker."

But Raine insisted even when the others were unsure of it. Sheena slowly cut the mana piece into two even pieces and slowly placed them onto the Exspheres on Lynn's wrist and Colette's collar. Once the mixture was complete, they stood back and waited. There was silence for a few minutes, as everyone anticipated the two monsters to revert back to their original forms of a blonde teenager and a grey-haired senior.

But even after the wait, nothing happened, which brought great concern to Lloyd and Genis. "I promised Colette I'd save her, and we researched the cure to death, so why isn't it working?" he demanded, glaring at the staff. Beside him, Genis was close to tears as he pondered the possibility of his grandmother permanently stuck in monster form.

The medical staff was about to give up when Raine stepped forward. "I've been thinking about something while Sheena was getting here. Remember how the method of healing my mother taught me involved slightly altering the mana balance in the body, and that the mana piece was used to kick-start the cure? We only have half a piece, meaning there isn't a high enough mana concentration at each person's Exsphere. But what if we increase the concentration around the piece?" she asked.

The crowd eyed her suspiciously. They've heard of the harm unbalanced mana in the body could do, and that was shown especially well by the function of the Exsphere. So would it not be even more harmful to Lynn and Colette in Raine did that? Fortunately, Raine had an explanation, "It only hurts them when a large amount of mana is distorted, but with only the equivalent of half a piece for each, it shouldn't hurt them too badly. This is the only chance, so are we willing to go for it, or not?" she challenged.

The group looked at each other nervously. Even the medical experts standing behind them were too afraid to comment, as the risk being taken was unpredictable. "In a situation like this, the next of kin for each patient should decide," the lead doctor stated, "Miss Sage, I assume your decision has been made?"

Raine nodded firmly. There was no way anyone would force her to back down from this plan. The doctor turned to the Brunels, just out of surgery themselves, and asked the same question. "Your daughter's life depends on this, but this technique hasn't been tried by anyone for centuries. Do you still wish for Miss Sage to proceed?"

Frank and Phoebe deliberated quietly on their own, which made Raine awfully nervous. Having worked with Frank for a year now, she knew that his typical researcher mentality would usually spring into action. He would get too scientific and precise over things and take too much time to come to a decision. With the life of his own daughter at hand, the last thing Raine wanted was wishy-washy decision-making from Frank.

But yet another lucky break occurred when Frank replied with a definitive yes. Hearing concurring statements, the medical staff then allowed Raine to proceed with her method under strict medical supervision. Within minutes, staff members focused on the machines and monitors, checking vital signs as Raine placed one hand on each patient, right on the area of each Exsphere. Taking a deep breath, she felt for the mana in each body and shifted them to the Exsphere. The same colours that appeared on Mark's nose when Raine performed the procedure on him resonated on the deformed skin of each patient. But this time, even the mana piece glowed and shined along.

Then, right before their eyes, the green, scaly skin returned to a smooth peach colour. Their long limbs returned to regular size, and claws on their hands and feet became digits again. Raine backed her hand away to let the cure take its effect. Within minutes, all human features returned to Lynn and Colette, much to the bewilderment of everyone. The medical staff checked every vital sign, and declared all of them normal.

And just as this was said, the patients stirred. Both Lynn and Colette slowly opened their eyes, groaning as if they woke up from a long sleep. "Colette, you're okay!" Lloyd exclaimed, charging in to give his long-time friend a tight embrace. Colette tried to hug him back, but not before being swamped by her parents, both with tears in their eyes.

But there was no such problem with Lynn, as her grandson nearly jumped onto her bed in excitement. "Grandma, I'm so glad you're back," Genis murmured, wrapping his arms around her. Lynn patted Genis on the back, all the while signalling her saviour, her granddaughter Raine, to share this moment with them.

* * *

"It seems like, from your X-rays, that both of you suffered a fracture," the medic described the injuries to Gil and Zelos. After their understanding at the waterfront, Tiga brought them to a local hospital to check up on their injuries. They waited patiently as the medic explained the situations. "Gil was shot in the lower leg, resulting in a tibia shaft fracture. We're recommending removal of the bullet by surgery, and then putting him in a long leg cast," the medic stated, pointing to the diagram.

Gil breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that his career as a police officer, should he get his identity back, was not jeopardized. Turning to Zelos' diagram, the news was not as positive. "The bullet hit the side of the wrist, meaning the loose bones in the hand may be damaged. We're going to do the same surgery and remove the bullet, but the recovery time will be significantly longer." Turning to the two patients, the medic asked, "I trust that neither one of you have any objections to the operation?"

When both shook their heads, the medic then left to prepare the operation rooms. They were among the last to go for surgery, opting to let those battling on the frontlines to be treated first. As Gil and Zelos waited, Tiga stepped into the room with Noishe as both leaders of their respective departments checked on their moles. As they went over their moles' injuries, Noishe could not help but ask Gil, "So how long have you known that Zelos was the military mole? Did you suspect him at any point in time?"

Gil glanced sideways at the redhead, who had a sly smile on his face. "I think both sides suspected each other, but never had confirmation of it until now. I guess we're pretty lucky that Tiga interrupted before I blasted Zelos' brains out, or else I would have killed the military's only link to Cruxis," he joked.

Zelos chuckled as he retorted, "This pretty face doesn't get destroyed often, so if I survive that shot, I'd come back to get you all the way to Iselia." And as Tiga released his wrist, Zelos turned to face Gil and asked, "So was all that you've said true? You really gave up your police career to go undercover because you discovered something sinister with your wife's death, which happened to be the entire Cruxis operation?"

Gil nodded grimly. "It was all Cruxis from there," he replied, reminiscing his ten years as an undercover cop, "Cruxis killed Anna because she found out about their plans in Asgard. She called the police, which hindered most of their initial operations. Kvar then had Forcystus send some people to ambush her at the airport, and the rest is history. But that being said, I never felt I gave up on my career as a cop," he continued, a positive tone coming from his voice, "When this is all over, I have every intention to get back my identity, and go through the appropriate steps to rejoin the police force."

Zelos smiled. "I like that attitude, but I just hope I can continue my career with the Tethe'alla Intelligence Bureau after this. My injury takes longer to heal than yours," he pointed out, waving his injured wrist around, "I may have lied to you to hide my identity, but all that I've said about Seles is true. She was taken captive by Cruxis, and I did volunteer to go on this mission in order to keep an eye on her. Knowing she's alright, I feel my main objective's been met, and just like you, I can start thinking about my future."

It was then Tiga's turn to have a word with Gil. Facing the undercover police officer, he warned him of potential dangers he might face in the upcoming days. "We have reason to believe that this operation may have been linked to Forcystus. It's very likely Forcystus took action to set up Rodyle for a fall, and might have even wanted to hang you out to dry. You two were really lucky that Arthur and I had a back-up plan. You're not always going to luck out and run into us all the time, so be careful, alright?"

Both moles nodded, but not without some sarcastic comebacks to their superiors. "When we got into this occupation, we know we're putting our lives on the line. Besides, if we don't show up with injuries, how can we convince you of giving us raises?" Zelos retorted, much to the delight of Gil. The foursome shared a good laugh before the medic returned to inform them that the operation rooms were ready.

As Gil and Zelos were wheeled off in separate directions, Tiga informed to Noishe, "You know, back when Igaguri was still part of the military, I had to advantage of being one who worked closely with him. I learned a lot from that guy, as he's one who likes to blend traditional Mizuho wisdom with modern-day military techniques. I recall one thing he said to me, and I'll never forget it: 'Events are rarely changed by people, but people are often changed by events.' That was a traditional piece of Mizuho wisdom, and he was applying it to a group of new cadets he was observing."

Noishe glanced sideways at Tiga, a sceptical look plastered on his face. "Surely you don't believe in that, do you?" he asked, wondering why Tiga made that remark.

Tiga shrugged. "I used to, and I certainly believe the events experienced by these two in their undercover careers surely changed them," he replied, "But I also believe that these two are among the rare bunch that managed to change events as well."

Noishe nodded as he mulled those words over. Gil had been through so much over the last ten years, yet he always managed to pull through. Surely being a mole made him a different person, but through his dealings he managed to make events change, some of which for the better. The two strode away from the operation room, intending to return to the field to check on the Cruxis headquarters after a hard night's work. There was still plenty of work for them to finish, and plenty of work for the medical staff as well, as more injured people arrived at the hospital, including a certain silver-haired elf, currently strapped to and hurriedly being wheeled in on a stretcher.

* * *

After a full day of rest, the medical staff at the Mizuho hospital returned to the room Lynn and Colette were staying in. Lynn and Colette had bandages around the areas where their Exspheres used to be, as the skin and muscles on those areas had decayed greatly throughout the last two weeks when the Exsphere was present. The assessment was that they would require a month or two before a full recovery would be completed.

But even that did not dampen the spirits of the two patients, now roommates, as they chatted happily with their families and friends. The doctors recommended another day or so in the hospital before discharging them, as more observation was needed to ensure that the cure was doing its job. The doctors were just finished with another round of medical checks on Lynn, and were moving onto Colette. Frank and Phoebe looked on as the doctors monitored Colette, while Lloyd moved on to the Sages and talked to them. "So, I guess Raine, Genis, and I didn't let our efforts go to waste, no?" he asked Lynn.

Lynn smiled. "I guess I should really be thanking the three of you," she replied, "After all, without your efforts, I could very well be on my way to seeing John, Kloitz, and Virginia right now," she concluded that statement with a sip of water.

Hearing Virginia, Raine thought she should set the record straight for Lynn. Since the Exire incident, the issue of Virginia weighed heavily on her mind, as she had no idea how her grandmother would react to the news that Virginia was still alive, and had been hiding in Exire for the last six years. Moreover, Virginia always claimed to be fighting Cruxis, which had put them under this situation in the first place. Will she be angry at her daughter-in-law's selfish act of unilaterally defeating Cruxis and abandoning them, or will she appreciate Virginia's efforts in defeating those wanting to destroy the world, and thereby making the world better for us, Raine thought to herself.

But before Raine could even begin, Lynn had changed the topic. "But one person that I'm very proud of, Lloyd, is your father," she stated, much to Lloyd surprise, "It did seem like that he's been doing some questionable things in the past, but after hearing from Raine that he was the one who began the research into finding a cure, I realized that he had been doing a lot behind everyone's backs, more so than anyone gives him credit for." She leaned closer to Lloyd and held his wrist, "I don't know what choices he'll make in the future, but I definitely see him try to leave Cruxis and return to the side of good."

Lloyd placed his chin in his hand, brow furrowing in deep thought. Was it likely that his father, a ten-year member of Cruxis, would leave his established position that easily just to do the right thing and return to their side? Although he still had reservations about it, Lloyd found the possibility intriguing. Plus, Captain Noishe always told him that there was more to his father than that met the eye, which complicated things even more. Whatever Dad is hiding, I've got to find out, Lloyd thought to himself.

Just as he mulled it over, Igaguri stepped through the door. Greeting the patients, the former military commander moved up to the Sages. "I just received some news from Tiga in Exire, and he told me to bring it up to you," he began, "Do you know an elf by the name of Virginia Sage? Is she, by any chance, related to you?" he asked.

Raine and Genis perked up and nodded, while Lynn seemed confused. "She's our mother," Raine answered, "what happened to her?"

"We were going through the remnants of the Cruxis headquarters in Exire after our battle, and we found several dead and injured bodies. While most were either military personnel or Cruxis members, we found two bodies that seemed to have taken immense damage. They had burns, electrocution marks, and ice freezes on them. One of them was Rodyle, who we guessed was killed in the battle. The other was barely hanging onto life, and we wheeled her to the hospital. Upon identification from an herbalist in the city, we confirmed that the identity of this elf was Virginia Sage," Igaguri described.

"Wait, you're telling me that my daughter-in-law is still alive? How can that be possible?" Lynn asked, "I thought she was captured by Cruxis and died ten years ago."

Igaguri looked up at Lynn with a sad expression. "I'm sorry to tell you this, Mrs. Sage, but she died not ten years ago, but just a few hours ago. She suffered major injuries in the Cruxis headquarters, and we believe she received those injuries from some battle," Igaguri explained, "We believe the fight involved mana of some sort, and although we tried everything we can, we couldn't revive her. Guys, I'm truly sorry for your loss. I truly understand what it means to lose a family member, twice."

Lynn was dumbfounded as Genis and Raine were in tears and hugged each other in consolation. Soon, they included their grandmother in the embrace, as they quietly told her of the events of the past few days. Lloyd, seeing the situation, decided to step aside, heading for Colette's side of the room with Igaguri. "I'll give you guys a few minutes to yourselves," he whispered, looking at them in sympathy.

* * *

Gil was onto a stretcher and was moved onto the military air field tarmac. He was put into a long leg cast, stretching from his ankle up to his knee. Theoretically, he should not be moving, but upon his request, the hospital discharged him despite staying only two days. "Remember to keep your leg elevated, and ask for assistance if you want to leave your home," the medic warned as Gil was wheeled to the waiting aircraft.

Gil had thanked the medical staff earlier for the successful surgery, and although he did prefer a full recovery be made, he was convinced that with current events and tension at an all-time high, he decided to return to Iselia and keep an eye on Forcystus. As Gil waited while the staff prepared the ramp, Zelos stepped up and spoke to his new friend. Like Gil, he also sported a cast, but it was wrapped around his wrist. "You're really intent on getting that raise, aren't you?" he joked, "You're going back to spy on Forcystus, completely immobile with a cast, and all by yourself."

Gil chuckled. "Well, somebody's got to do the job," he replied, trying to sit up higher. It was difficult enough to move with the heavy cast, but knowing that it would slow down his recovery, he truly wondered if he could return to the force, even if he completely defeated Cruxis within the week. "So how's Seles doing? She managed to get out okay, right? And how about Altessa?" he asked.

"Seles has been with Cruxis for too long, and she suffered some physical injuries, as well as malnourishment. It's going to take a few weeks before she'll recover fully," Zelos explained, "But Altessa didn't suffer too much, since he's only been captured by Cruxis for a few days. He should be discharged later today, if not tomorrow. He knows you're going back to Iselia today, and once again, he wants you to help him find Presea Combatir. He says he has a way to save her, and he's willing to do it to make amends."

"Is it that same cure that I told you about when we were waiting for surgery? You know, the one that I wanted to use on my friend and my son's friend?" Gil asked.

Zelos shook his head. "I told Altessa about that cure, and he said it's only when the Exsphere was at an active state. Presea, according to Altessa, had the functions of her Exsphere suspended, which means a less powerful cure should do the trick. But we can only apply it if you find her, so it's in your hands right now," Zelos informed Gil.

Gil nodded. "I'll do everything I can," he promised, "But what about you? What are you going to do for the moment? I'm guessing you can still operate on one arm, but knowing your recovery time is longer than mine, wouldn't it be an inconvenience?" It was determined by the medical staff that Gil's injury would take around eight to twelve weeks to recover fully, although with Gil's insistence on returning to work, Gil figured it might take even longer. But Zelos' injury involved multiple bones in his wrist, and the recovery was expected to take months. Knowing that, the military might be even more reluctant to return one of the top spies to work that quickly.

But Zelos assured Gil that there was something in store for him. "Lieutenant Tiga requested that I keep an eye on things in Exire while he returned to Mizuho to deal with a few things," he explained, "I'm told that there was someone planning to reveal some very important information to Mizuho police regarding this situation, so Tiga must attend this meeting. I'll be down here watching everything, so if there's anything you want over here, don't hesitate to give me a call, alright?"

Gil nodded in satisfaction. Knowing that he had Marshall, Noishe, who, like him, was on his way back to Iselia, and now Zelos helping him, he felt the case was pretty much a slam-dunk. "Well, when I manage to find Presea, I'll definitely give you a call. Then you can tell Altessa and make the cure," he replied, shaking Zelos' hand. Just as he did this, the military personnel returned to his stretcher and began slowly moving him onto the plane. Gil waved to his friend one last time before being put under the roof of the large military craft, strapped to a corner and waited for take-off.

* * *

About eighteen hours after Gil's flight had left Exire, another military plane at the Mizuho base was preparing to take a group of refugees home. Tiga was in town and made some announcements to the group regarding Cruxis' defeat in Exire, "I've been told that Rodyle's main weapon seems to be offline, so if anything, we're guessing that the attack dealt a huge blow to Cruxis," Tiga explained, "It's on that note, and that the hospital has discharged Lynn and Colette, we feel it's safe to send you back to Iselia."

As they waited their turns on the air strip, Tiga also sought to extend condolences to the Sage family for their loss. "I can honestly say that it was Virginia who almost single-handedly defeated Rodyle," he told the three, "What she did was very brave, and while it's impossible to bring her back now, I truly hope that you'll all be proud of her."

The family glanced at each other, reluctant to move on. Tiga could see the pain in their eyes, and offered to help them in any way. But Raine decided to leave the issue alone, telling Tiga, "At least she accomplished what she originally set out to do, so there isn't much more I can say. But I think we'll manage to cope in the end."

Thanking them, Tiga headed off to speak with Lloyd. Although he had promised Noishe that he would not reveal Gil's identity, he still felt it was only right that Lloyd was informed of his father's condition. Lloyd was standing near Colette, taking care of her while her parents checked their luggage. As they discussed, an unexpected person decided to join their flight to Sylvarant. "Looks like I'm joining you guys," she stated.

Frank and Phoebe looked up to see Sheena before them. The summoning expert arrived back at her home town just a couple of days ago with the mana pieces that saved their daughter and Lynn. The Brunels were more than grateful of her efforts, but were surprised to see her take off again. "Where are you off to this time?" Phoebe asked.

"This time, I'm using the power of all summon spirits to protect the main source of mana of the world," Sheena replied, "As we all recalled in our research, there is a tree that keeps the world together. It's where the summon spirits were first called upon by my namesake to guard the world's mana when the original guardian, Martel, supposedly 'sacrificed' herself in some historical event. Knowing that we disabled the Exire Cruxis, and we've located an area that may be the location to the tree, we have to get there at once to prevent any damage, and protect the world's mana before Cruxis can regroup."

Frank and Phoebe both nodded, impressed at the efforts Sheena was making. "What about Mark? Is he coming along?" Frank asked.

Sheena shook her head. "Mark wants to stay here in Mizuho to help his brother in any way possible," she responded, "Mark convinced Kuchinawa to turn himself into the police, and Tiga was just interrogating him earlier. Just like Raine, Mark just got back his long lost family member, only to lose him again after certain things that he did. I really hope both Mark and the Sages can recover from this and move on."

Just then, the group was requested to board the plane. Picking up their luggage, they thanked Tiga and the Tethe'alla military for their hospitality and stepped up the ramp. Lloyd was about to help Colette into a seat near her parents when she requested that they sat together. "Let's enjoy this homecoming together, shall we?" Colette said.

Lloyd was a bit puzzled by the request, but nonetheless he accepted. Taking a seat near the door, Lloyd made sure Colette was comfortable before sitting down. "So why aren't you sitting with your parents?" Lloyd asked, "Not that I don't want to sit next to you or anything, but shouldn't you be with your parents after your healing?"

Colette shyly looked away, a light red shade flushing across her face. "Well, it's just that, when I was stuck inside that mana monster form, I heard you say that you're going to heal me, and be with me when I recover, and…"

"Wait, you mean you heard everything I said, even when you were in monster form?" Lloyd interrupted his friend, bewildered at the revelation.

"Yeah, actually," Colette answered sheepishly, "I heard the stuff you said about our friendship, and how you valued growing up together, and that you won't let anything bad happen to me. That's all true, right? You do mean what you say?"

Lloyd glanced at her, realizing what was happening. A goofy smile now appeared on his face. "So, I guess you kind of figured out how I truly felt about you, huh?"

Colette nodded. "And you know what?" she retorted, leaning closer to Lloyd. The gap between them closed so much that their noses were barely apart, and both sides could feel the other's breathing. "I feel the same way." And with that, their faced slowly closed the gap, their lips claiming each other. The surroundings were nothing but a blur as the two teenagers wrapped their arms around each other, enjoying every bit of their kiss.

* * *

Again, before I go, I want to set out a few things clearly:

1.) The spells used by Rodyle are, as usual, Grave and Stalagmite, although Ground Dasher was also used against the military.  
2.) The spells used by Virginia are, in order of appearance, Grave, Air Blade, Icicle, Freeze Lancer, Flame Lance, Thunder Blade.

And lastly, I am not a fan of love triangles, so please do not raise any issues with me about Lloyd and Colette kissing. The pairing is not meant to be the focal point of this story, and it really doesn't matter to me what couple I use. I don't really have a favourite pairing, and no matter what couple I use (or no couples at all) it still wouldn't change the content of the story or event flow. So if anyone writes to me insisting I do their favourite pairing or whatever, I say "Stick it in your rear end!" Thanks and have a good day!


	32. Lloyd's Realization

**Poet Bucky** and **Mandrakefunnyjuice** reviewed last chapter. **I.K.A. Valian** said he was busy, but he'll try and join us again this week. Anyway, just so we're clear on this: despite my harsh tone, I'm not against people who disagreed with my pairing from last time. Like I said, I don't have a favourite pairing, and I don't view the kiss as a major component of the story. I hope that clears things up, and we can put the issue to bed and move on.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

The military plane had taken off for less than half an hour, yet already Raine was up and wandering down the aisle towards Lloyd and Colette. "I want to talk to you guys," she suggested softly, "Let's go to the back of the plane, so nobody can hear us, alright?"

Lloyd and Colette glanced at each other nervously as they left their seats, slowly moving away from the other passengers. Raine also had Genis get up and go to the back with them. As they gathered around, Raine began with a subdued and low tone. "What I'm about to say is very controversial, and I have no proof of this either, so I want you all to keep it down and not let the others know. I think it's time we start discussing Gil."

Everyone reacted with shock to that preposition, but none more so than Lloyd, who had been bombarded by various people regarding his father throughout their stay as refugees. Lloyd had some opinions of his own on Gil as well, but even with so many stories from each side, he really didn't know what to believe

"Let's go over this one by one," Raine began, "First, we know Gil's been a cop before joining Cruxis, and only joined after realizing the death of Anna was caused by Cruxis. All this time, he's been lying to everyone to hide his Cruxis identity, but yet gave it away to the person who he trusts the most, Captain Arthur Noishe, a police captain and his former commander," Raine listed the details as the group listened intently.

"I find the entire situation suspicious. I mean, Captain Noishe is a police officer, so logically, he would be expected to arrest Dad," Lloyd replied, seeming to understand, "But he didn't. In fact, he offered to help Dad with giving the cure's information to us. Why would he do that? Wouldn't it make more sense to take it to his colleagues?"

"Which leads me to point two," Raine continued, "We got to Mizuho shortly after your dad put Exspheres into Colette and Grandma. Lieutenant Tiga offered to take us in, yet earlier, Tiga was talking about your dad's injuries. Doesn't that seem suspicious to you, given Gil's supposedly a high-ranking Cruxis member who's working for Rodyle?"

Genis rubbed his chin. "Yeah, now that you've mentioned it, Mr. Irving did have his set of run-ins with authority figures. First Captain Noishe, then Lieutenant Tiga, but neither made any efforts to arrest him. All of them talked about him like a friend, and I even heard Lieutenant Tiga telling Lloyd to help his dad out with his mobility at home."

"I heard something about being shot in the shin and put into a leg cast, but not on criminal activities," Colette added, "Why would that be if he's a wanted criminal?"

"Which brings us to the last point, which is the integration part," Raine was ready to conclude her theory, "He left the police force, joined Cruxis, but used a current police captain to inform us, and got the Tethe'alla military to let him return to Iselia. All this only leads to one or two possible conclusions. Can you guess what they may be?"

Lloyd scratched his scalp. All this information was making his head spin, as he could not figure out anything that moved him closer to the truth, and it did not help that Raine was questioning him like she was questioning one of her students. "Well, I guess Dad's gotten enough out of Cruxis, and that he's trying to back-stab them, or severe ties altogether," he slowly spelled out his analysis, unsure if he got it right.

However, the blonde beside to him disagreed. "It's too much of a coincidence that he's leaving Cruxis in the midst of all the trouble," Colette responded, "Cruxis was taken down one-by-one, with the Tethe'alla military destroying the Exire group. And when we were in Sylvarant, we heard those in Palmacosta and Asgard were also taken down, too."

Raine nodded, impressed at the two teens. "You both went with the reactionary approach, deducing that Gil probably left or is leaving Cruxis because he's reacting to the internal strife. But what's the other option? What else could explain how these events are happening all at once?" she asked again, treating like this was her archaeology class.

Lloyd, Colette and Genis glanced at each other, hoping to bounce some ideas off each other's minds. But when none of the three spoke, Raine offered one last clue. "At each Cruxis branch's defeat, there was one thing in common. We were all there, and so was Gil. Assuming he's with Cruxis, he could very well be taking an activist approach, and is making things happen on his own. And assuming he won't get help from within, and he's friends with Noishe…" Raine trailed off, leaving them to finish the sentence.

Lloyd, Colette and Genis looked at each other, a smile coming to Lloyd's face. It was all crystal clear to him. Looking back at Raine, he promised he would keep it a secret and not tell anyone, but insisted that he would confront Gil on the issue. "I think it's time Dad gave us all an explanation. Can everyone gather at my house when we get back?"

* * *

Meanwhile, a passenger plane had just landed in Iselia, and Presea Combatir left the aircraft and headed into the baggage claim area. Despite being given a week off, she only spent a few days in Tethe'alla, and it wasn't even to her hometown of Ozette, as her superior had anticipated. Instead, she was in Exire, reprogramming Rodyle's Mana Cannon to be under Forcystus' control.

But little did she know there was a nasty surprise in store for her return. As she exited the airport, she heard two of her SIU colleagues approach the doors. Although they could not see her, they were speaking loud enough for her to hear. "So Burton's suddenly turned the tables and saying we should arrest Presea when she gets back. But we don't even know when she'll be back!" one officer complained.

"Well, I don't think he actually knows the details, but there was something given by the Major Crimes people saying that they got evidence to prove that Presea's the rat," the second officer retorted, "I just wish they get their info straight before airing it out."

Presea almost lost her breath as she heard the revelation. So the SIU now realized she was the mole, and were out to get her? It would prove costly, as staying close to the police would be her only hope of curing her of her Exsphere. Feeling the parasitic object on her collar, she realized that there had only been two people that could cure her, and one of them, Rodyle, had died in Exire when the military attacked. Now, with the police on her tail, it would make fulfilling Forcystus' mission of spying on Chief Marshall that much harder, which wouldn't put her in Forcystus' good books, either.

Just as she tried to duck out, her cell phone rang. Looking around, she saw her SIU colleagues step up to each airline's tickets centre, demanding for which flight she had booked with. Seeing she was safe for the moment, she stepped away and pulled out the ringing object. Upon seeing the caller ID, she winced and slowly flipped it open.

"Presea, I got the Mana Cannon under control now, so we're moving onto the last phase of our operation," Forcystus instructed, not even bother greeting her, "My men are reprogramming and resetting the cannon as of we speak. In the meantime, stall the police in any way you can. Twenty-four hours, and our mission will be complete. Just make sure the police is looking the other way and not on our trail."

"Uh, we may have a problem with that. You see, when the captain realized that Rodyle had bombed Mizuho, he gave me a leave of absence, meaning I'm not supposed to go back to work…" Presea explained. She was hesitant in telling Forcysuts that the police knew about her identity, but it was because of this that she could not return.

But before she could say more, Forcystus rudely cut her off. "Nobody said you had to go back to the police station. If anything, you have the advantage on the police chief, since you're a civilian and no one would recognize you in street clothes," the half-elf retorted, irritated at Presea's attitude, "Now, unless you want to be the one to botch the mission, causing the inferior beings to run all over us, and ultimately leaving you to a fate of being trapped and controlled by that Exsphere, I say get moving, now!"

That last line only left Presea standing there, dumbfounded as Forcystus slammed the phone down on her. Presea slowly flipped her phone shut, pocketing it as she stepped out of the terminal and hailed a nearby taxi. She thought long and hard about what failing her assignment would mean for her, and how the Exsphere might turn her into something terrible. She shivered slightly as the driver placed her luggage into the trunk, before letting her onto the cab. Presea realized she had no choice but to comply with Forcystus.

* * *

As the cab started, another thought came into her head. What if she risked it and returned to Burton, but revealed Forcystus to him? Although it would mean she faced an internal investigation, the possibility was certainly valid. No, she thought to herself, there still won't be a cure, so I can't do it now. Closing her eyes, she wondered what would be in store for her as the cab took her back to her home.

As all this happened, Gil had been busy trying to get things done at home. When the military brought him home, he had requested that they positioned him in the living room on the main floor, close to the kitchen so he could grab some food without going too far. Likewise, he asked them to bring down a sleeping bag and his laptop computer. "I don't plan to leave here until my son gets back, or at least when I get more assistance."

And that was exactly what he did for the last twenty four hours, going though the information collected in Exire and preparing them for Noishe, all the while keeping his leg elevated for faster healing. He did not reveal this to anyone, not even Zelos, but he secretly brought a tape recorder with him to Exire, and recorded his conversations with Rodyle, Vharley, Zelos, and even Seles and Altessa. Listening to the tapes again, he typed some important points into his laptop. "Sooner or later I'll have to get them to you, so might as well make them neat," he informed Noishe on the phone, "When can we meet?"

"I'm going to be pretty busy these coming days," Noishe replied, "The Sylvarant military has finally been convinced to take action, and wanted to meet with me ASAP. So I'll be sending the man that convinced the military to act all this time to meet you."

"Alright, but tell Chief Marshall not to meet me in my home. Hearing what Tiga had said back in Exire, Forcystus probably thinks I'm dead right now. I want to keep faking my own death to gain the advantage on him," Gil explained.

And just as he hung up the phone, the front door opened, revealing the familiar face of his son. But surprisingly, following him into the house was the entire group that went to Tethe'alla as refugees. Lloyd pushed his luggage to the side and marched straight up to his father, with the rest of the group following. "Dad, I got a few things I need to ask you, and I hope you can be honest with me," Lloyd demanded gruffly, "But before that, I should probably ask, how's your leg?" He pointed to the long leg cast.

Gil patted his cast. "I'm not supposed to move at all, so I positioned myself right next to the kitchen. I haven't gone upstairs or anything else, and I'm not supposed to walk without assistance," Gil described his situation, "And yes, I'm guessing they told you some stuff that you want to more about, so I'm ready to answer your questions."

The entire group gathered behind Lloyd, positioning themselves in a semi-circle as Lloyd towered over his father, who was on the floor, trying to re-adjust his position to keep his casted leg elevated. For once, it felt like the son was in control of the father as Lloyd began his interrogation. "First question: you've been lying to me about your history. You told me you had another job, but really it's Cruxis, and you've been there for ten years. So what exactly have you been doing the past month in Cruxis?"

Gil cocked an eyebrow. That was not a question he anticipated. But nonetheless, he promised his son honesty, and was willing to deliver it. "Forcystus sent me to the other Cruxis branches on several missions involving a large operation," he answered swiftly.

"Regarding what?" Lloyd continued, not letting up one bit, "And isn't it odd that all branches you've gone to were destroyed within days of you being there? Is there something you're not telling me? Or are you backstabbing Cruxis after all those years?"

Gil was getting a bit uncomfortable. Rarely, if ever, did a loved one put his work under that much scrutiny. Normally, he would lie his way out of it, but now, knowing that he had alienated Lloyd, and given that Lloyd was also old enough to understand things, he found it much more difficult to get away. "There are parts about this job that I can't reveal," Gil responded, "And part of the job involves betraying those around me."

"Betraying those around you," Lloyd repeated Gil's last line, as if he was trying to taste each word, "You sure got that one right. You sold yourself out and turned your back on everyone here. Me, Mom, Colette, Mrs. Sage, everyone," he spat.

"I didn't do you or Anna wrong, Lloyd!" Gil retorted sharply, "I did what I had to just to keep you safe, and that's a promise I made to your mother before she died. Given the current situation, I made sure no Cruxis members harmed you. I even asked Captain Noishe to send you the cure to the Exsphere. I did what I was told by Cruxis, and I gave you the best option to deal with it on your own." Gil stared back at Lloyd sternly.

The surrounding crowd shifted their eyes back and forth between father and son. The strange staring match made things more intense, as they wondered what Lloyd would try to flush out the truth from Gil. "And dealing with it was exactly what we did, only to find out that you're at the Exire branch of Cruxis, which was conveniently taken out on the same day you supposedly injured yourself. Added to the fact that Captain Noishe was around Exire for a meeting, I really think I should take what you guys have said all along and realize how there's more to things about you than that meets the eye," Lloyd stated.

He knelt down and faced his father head-on, their eyes on an equal level with each other. "All this time, I felt you'll return to our side and leave Cruxis behind forever, but every time I thought about that I get disappointed at your actions. Now, with all the clues given, and so many people revealing things to me, I analyzed it with Colette, Genis, and Raine, and I have a conclusion," he declared. Lloyd positioned himself right in front of Gil, so there was no way Gil could shift his attention elsewhere. "Dad, I want full honesty on this: are you still a police officer? Or more specifically, an undercover police officer?"

Gil remained silent for a few seconds. Then, a smile curled up on the sides of his lips. "So you've finally figured it out, after all the clues that I've left you? Well, I say it's about time," Gil replied, sitting up straighter and looking Lloyd back in the eye.

A mix of emotions rushed through Lloyd, as he tried to figure out the right words to say. "So you've really been lying to me for a decade, to all of us, I mean? But you did it to protect your identity, and to serve the police, and…" Lloyd trailed off, his thoughts in a mess. He had reservations about it throughout the flight from Mizuho to Triet, and in the car from Triet to Iselia, but to get the confirmation from Gil was truly unbelievable.

"I may have done my fair share of deceiving, but I did it in your best interest. I did join Cruxis ten years ago as an undercover cop, because ever since your mother was killed, I realized she probably found out some things that would shock the world. I still have some of her notes from that day in my room, but I've never shown anyone. Maybe, somewhere down the line, when I can regain my identity, I'll finally reveal them to you." Gil explained as put a hand on his son's shoulder, "I hope you can understand, Lloyd."

Lloyd looked at his father, still not knowing how to feel. "I am pretty mixed about it," he replied in a muted tone, "I'm angry that you hid the truth from me, and put us all in that much danger. But at the same time, I'm very proud of you, knowing that you've done so much to protect me, more than I ever anticipated." Lloyd then put his hand on Gil's shoulder and continued, "I think Mom would be really proud of you, too."

At that point, father and son fell into a tight embrace, as misunderstandings and bad feelings harboured for the last ten years finally began to fall. The touching scene caused tears to swell for some, as Lloyd and Gil enjoyed their moment together. "That's also why I put you with the Brunels and the Sages," Gil described as his son released him from the hug, "I know you'd be safe there while I try to protect you from Cruxis. Believe it or not, you're actually a pretty feared person in Cruxis, as even Forcystus was afraid of the consequences, knowing how far I'd go to make sure you're not threatened."

Lloyd glanced embarrassingly at the two families, a tint of red showing on his cheeks. "I guess, and the fact that I was pretty young at that time also complicated things. I probably wouldn't understand it even if you did reveal it," Lloyd replied. Returning his gaze to Gil, he continued asking, "But why didn't you revel it when you didn't have to travel anymore? I mean, you didn't take long trips out of Iselia for at least four years."

Again, Gil decided to bring his son back down to earth. "Did you forget at that time, your marks took a nosedive and turned you into a D student?" Gil asked, "Your marks were never this bad before, but when you left elementary school, I think you also left your brain behind. If I didn't send you to Colette and Raine, your marks would be at an F. Thanks to them, it's a C now, but even with the improvement, I'm still not impressed. You have to work way harder if you want to get into a university of any sort."

Again, more embarrassment for Lloyd, as the entire group behind him burst out in laughter. Lloyd, seeing he had walked right into that one, also smiled. "You're right. I've really been using this 'broken family' thing as a way to escape my own pain. I was pretty stupid too, being indecisive and resorting to hiding behind those mottos just to get by. But I promise you, things will change, and I will work harder to get my marks up. And I will promise you that I'll help you with your case," he guaranteed to Gil.

Gil smiled and nodded. "Well, it's no coincidence that I've left those clues to you, since it's always been my intention to have you help me solve the case from the outside," Gil explained, "Cruxis has a big project, and that Mana Cannon is just part of their plan. If I don't get help from the outside, I'll be at a disadvantage, and that's why I want your help."

"Has it always been your intention to use Captain Noishe and others to transfer clues to me?" Lloyd asked, "It always seems like someone connected to you in some way has something to say to me, and it's always in that ambiguous tone and wording."

Gil nodded. "I've always believed that you had a right to know, and since Noishe didn't allow me to reveal my identity directly, I had to be subtle. He didn't approve of it at first, but after convincing him that I wanted you, he agreed," Gil tried to sit up a bit more, but a sharp pain shot through his leg from the cast. "But first, I have to be mobile again," he grumbled, glaring at the offending object wrapped around his leg.

Lloyd smiled. "Well, when we were in Exire, Raine managed to learn a special spell that healed some minor injuries. Maybe she can make it better. Should we try it?"

* * *

The next day, Lloyd took Gil into Gil's Audi V8 and drove him to the hospital. Raine had worked her spell on Gil, making him regain some mobility in his leg. But Phoebe, the nurse of the group, insisted that Gil did a check-up to assess the damage with an X-ray scan. Despite being off work, Phoebe managed to book an early appointment, meaning Gil could do it in the morning. As they sat in the waiting room, Gil asked Lloyd, "So most of you are back in Iselia, but Sheena isn't with you today. Where did she go?"

Lloyd explained the presence of a mana tree that controlled the world's state, and how Sheena was going to use the summon spirits to protect it from danger. "I assume you saw the Mana Cannon when you were with Rodyle. I wasn't there, so I can't judge, but from what I heard, it's definitely something powerful," he stated.

Gil nodded. He saw the machine first-hand, and also predicted disaster. Shaking the thought away, he decided to get a bit more personal with his son. "You left Iselia in a terrible mood. But after some time in Tethe'alla, and seeing things from a different perspective, did you do some soul searching? And what did you find out?" he asked.

Lloyd shifted his feet. "I found that there's never one solution to anything, and being too hard-headed or stubborn may lead to disaster. I mean, Lieutenant Tiga, Ricardo, Captain Noishe and even Raine told me about flaws of the Reunification heroes. Everyone around them had conflicting needs and ideas, meaning there'll always be some disagreement," he summarized, "But what I found the most interesting was that when different perspectives are compared, the world is no longer black and white."

Gil smiled. "It isn't easy to deal with a situation like this, but you have to realize one thing. The world has, as you said, progressed a lot. Racist laws were repealed, new laws were created, and a new attitude of tolerance and diversity was developed. But more can be done and we must keep pushing. But, we must do it legally, and that means using methods that value law-and-order, rather than violence. Cruxis sees the Reunification folks as villains who set up a world they deemed insufficient, but to go down their path of violence and irrationality, that's a regression," he replied, proud of his son's thoughts.

"So I guess that means what we're doing is ultimately preventing a situation that some aren't happy with from turning into a situation no one's happy with. That's pretty cynical to me, but knowing that the world's not black and white, I think I'll manage with that," Lloyd analyzed, "What about you? How does that grey area thing apply for you in your situation, other than the obvious that you're always swinging between two sides?"

Gil smiled again, impressed at his son's improved thought process. "There are moral issues I must deal with, as part of my job involves betraying those around me. I lied to Cruxis, police, and even friends and family. I promised I'd keep you safe, only to slide the danger to Colette and Lynn. That's why I did all that research before implanting the Exsphere, because only then can I complete my mission and save them all at once."

Lloyd looked on as Gil tried to straighten out his pose, as the way he positioned his leg to make him heal faster made him uncomfortable. "Likewise, I did make a couple of friends in Cruxis that I truly value as people. But they're playing on the other team and doing illegal stuff, which means I have to bring them down sooner or later," Gil sighed, preening his hair before continuing, "Every day I feel like I'm in a battle with myself, wondering what side I'll be playing for. In the end, there's no real winner. I can only hope when I do leave this behind, I'll leave with the white hat on, and not the black hat."

Lloyd realized his father went through way more than he could possibly imagine. He stared silently at the ground, gently swaying in his seat like a boat drifting down a river. To an extent, that was what his life had been all this time. He drifted along, never thinking for himself on important issues. Despite his poor academic standing, he took it for granted he would always receive help in Colette, Genis, or Raine. But realizing the one he lived with went through so much and not even raise a peep, it was unbelievable.

Determined, Lloyd vowed to change his attitude. "I'll definitely not take it for granted anymore. I'll work hard at anything I do, and I will succeed for sure. Whether it's school, work, or anything else, you won't see a slacker ever again," he said. Turning to his father again, he asked, "But you still managed to last as an undercover cop for ten years, so what drove you to stay in there?"

Gil exhibited the widest grin he had shown in the last decade. "Two people," he replied, raising the appropriate number of fingers just as the receptionist called his name, "One of them is named Anna, and the other is named Lloyd."

* * *

"We're almost ready to send in the coordinates to fire the Mana Cannon now," Forcystus instructed Presea through her cell phone, "How's the police on your side?"

Presea sighed, shaking her head as she tried to stay awake. She still hadn't told Forcystus about her SIU colleagues suspecting her of being the mole. Nevertheless, to please Forcystus as much as possible, she camped outside police main headquarters to spy on Marshall. "Nothing right now," she replied, "I doubt they got anything on you."

"Good, then our plan will go as scheduled," Forcystus explained, going into some detail as he described his actions. Presea only paid half-attention to the Cruxis leader, her mind was split between Marshall and curing her Exsphere. Realizing that the final step of Cruxis' operations was getting under way, she really wondered whether Forcystus would live up to his word and give the cure to her. Somehow, there were doubts inside her mind as to if this would be done, as Forcystus had never shown kindness to humans before.

Just as she pondered this, a familiar figure stepped out of the police building. She shot up and eyed the person cross the street heading south. "Just wait," Presea interrupted Forcystus, "Chief Marshall just stepped out. I'm following him, and I'll update you later on." She slapped her phone close and tailed the grey-haired man.

The strange chase paused at a bus station one block south of police headquarters as Marshall talked on his phone. "I'll be there in about fifteen minutes," Presea could hear him say, "Whatever thing you got with Cruxis back in Tethe'alla I already sent to the Sylvarant military. They know what's going on and they'll try and act ASAP."

Presea gasped. Marshall was meeting with the mole, and was likely to discuss Cruxis operations with the military. Knowing it would affect her chances of a cure, Presea had to flush the mole out. Sliding into a corner, she spied on him from the safety of a crowd. Given her short stature, Presea felt like this was trench warfare, and that she was peering over the trenches to get a view of her enemy. Trying to listen over the noise of cars, construction work, and people chatting, she found it difficult to hear Marshall.

Just then, a bus arrived and Marshall stepped on. Presea could only watch as Marshall dropped in two dollars, moved all the way to the back and took a seat in the last row. Undaunted, Presea followed his lead, slipping onto the bus and took a seat in the middle. She picked up a newspaper a passenger had left behind and covered her face with it, occasionally taking quick glances at the back. Despite the bus being at least half full, Presea felt like she and Marshall were the only people on board, the strange silence in her mind making it that much more uncomfortable for her to be there.

The awkward sequence continued for about ten minutes, and as the bus neared outskirts of the downtown district, Marshall rang the bell for the next stop. Stepping to the door, the police chief turned his head left, right in the direction of Presea. Frightened, Presea pulled the papers closer to her face, the ink smell penetrating into her nose. Her breathing became shallower and faster as she tried to avoid eye contact with Marshall.

Fortunately, Marshall was only stretching his neck, as he turned back to the door for his stop. Presea's heart pounded like a drum as she slowly lowered the paper just as the bus grinded to a halt. Marshall gave the handle bars of the exit door a gentle nudge as they hissed open, letting him get off the bus nonchalantly. The pink-haired SIU officer could only stare in shock as her actions were nearly thwarted by the police chief, so much so that she nearly missed getting off as the doors closed and the bus prepared to pull out. "Wait, I have to get off," Presea shouted to the driver, who was none-too-impressed at the delayed call. Presea nervously stepped off as if she was just released from a prison.

The bus roared away, kicking out dust and soot as Presea tried to locate Marshall through the cloud. Finally, at the end of the block, Presea located the grey-haired man just as he turned the corner. Presea picked up the pace and chased him all the way into the entrance of a relatively new building. Presea glanced up at the structure and realized that this was one of the new commercial buildings built in accordance to the proposals to stretch Iselia's downtown district. She dared not look inside, fearing Marshall would see her. At the lobby, the police chief showed his badge to a security guard. Moving up to a man on crutches, the two waited for an elevator to arrive.

Presea finally garnered enough courage to peek inside the lobby of the dark glass-paned building, and saw Marshall bring the injured man into the elevator. She did not see his face, but figured it was the mole. Charging in, she glanced at the elevator indicator on the wall flashing each floor it reached. From the outside, Presea figured that the building was about twenty stories tall, and the indicator showed the numbers increasing. Pulling out her cell phone, she dialled for Forcystus and informed him of the actions. "Marshall's in a commercial building just outside the downtown core meeting with the police mole."

But just as she was giving Forcystus the address of the building, an off-duty SIU officer strode through the sidewalk outside and spotted Presea. Realizing that Presea was being sought by his unit, he immediately pulled out his own cell phone and dialled for Captain Burton. Mimicking Presea, he also slid into the shadows and gave the address to Burton. His eyes trailed Presea as she stepped out of the building and around the block. The officer continued reporting the events, requesting Burton send more than one unit. "She's around the block right now, so we may require more people here to track her down."

Meanwhile, the elevator reached the twenty-second floor of the building, the very top floor as Marshall held onto Gil, who struggled to exit the elevator. "You shouldn't be walking if you're hurt like that," the police chief chided the undercover police officer.

Gil shrugged. "I've done worse," he replied, "When I first finished surgery, they told me I couldn't move at all, and wouldn't even let me out of the hospital. Luckily, when I got back to Iselia, one of my son's friends learned a mana healing spell and made the fracture lessened. They gave me this lighter cast, and let me walk with crutches," he pushed the door to the stairs open and insisted on going to the roof. "There's nobody up there, so we can talk better. Besides, there's something you have to see from up there."

Marshall marched slowly along and up the stairs as Gil used his crutches to propel himself up each step. "So did Lloyd drive you here?" he asked.

Gil nodded. "I told him to go home first, but I really appreciate everything he did for me. Ever since he went to Tethe'alla as a refugee, I've really seen him mature. I can honestly say that, if I survive this one, I could be seeing a brand new Lloyd."

But the friendly talk between them was about to take a nasty turn, with both Cruxis and SIU prepared to take action. In minutes, vehicles simultaneously shot out of their respective headquarters, heading straight for said building. Forcystus had all Cruxis members available that day drop their acts and chase down the mole, leaving the leader himself as the one to punch in the final sequences to the cannon. Likewise, a team of SIU officers stepped into their cars and prepared to pull out of the police garage to chase down one of their own. All signs pointed to a potential showdown between the two sides.

* * *

The Gil-Lloyd hugging scene is supposed to resemble the part where Lloyd was standing before Dirk and Kratos thanking them for the Eternal Sword situation. The original had Lloyd thanking both fathers for caring for him, but since Gil is Kratos and Dirk mixed together, I only had to deal with one person. Thanks for reading and reviewing!


	33. Goodbye Policeman, Goodbye Friends

Probably the only thing that prevented this chapter from being posted later is the fact that it's very fast-paced, meaning I had relatively little difficulty in writing it quickly, despite my very hectic schedule. I want to thank **Mandrakefunnyjuice** and **I.K.A. Valian** for the reviews, and we're moving on as we continue to wind down our story.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

The Tethe'alla military continued to search through Rodyle's abandoned Cruxis base when suddenly a low-pitched hum sounded off from the room that contained the Mana Cannon. Military personnel stepped into the source of the sound, wondering what might have caused it when, to their surprise and horror, the Mana Cannon lifted up and loaded itself, the Exspheres shining as mana was sucked out from the air. "Get technical personnel in here. We have an emergency!" one soldier shouted.

Within minutes, the technical staff arrived to analyze the situation. The control room next door was completely shut down, yet the cannon had been activated, as if it had a life of its own. It was a puzzling sight indeed. "We're guessing the cannon may have been hacked from an outside source, most likely Forcystus from Iselia," one member concluded, "If they have control of this, then it'll be very hard for us to stop."

Then, even more shockingly, the cannon lifted out and over the open roof of the building and swung around in another direction. It did not take a technology expert to figure out what that meant: Forcystus, or whoever that was controlling the cannon, had intended it to fire. Knowing that time was working against them, they did the only thing possible. "Call up Sheena. Ask them if they've gotten to the Mana Tree yet, hurry!"

The communications team called frantically as the technology personnel returned to the control room, trying to restart that computer and shut down the cannon. For a piece of supposedly unmatched technology, the machine reacted very slowly, taking several minutes before the main control panel loaded. Meanwhile, unseen by the military, the Exspheres maximized the mana loading capacity, creating a strange glow on the cannon.

"What do you mean you're not there yet? That cannon's up and running, it could fire at any minute now!" the communications group exclaimed.

"Our plane just landed and we're on our way there," Sheena replied, "I'll ask them to hurry but I don't know if we can do it in time, so you'll just have to stall." The Mana Tree was located on the northwest island of Sylvarant, where a former humanoid race known as the Katz once lived. They were a strange group indeed, being able to live almost unnoticed and integrated with any race. But, with the Mana Tree so close, many felt the need to re-locate their town, and pretty much left the island deserted.

As that happened in Exire, Forcystus was alone at his Iselia headquarters. After sending everyone available downtown, he operated the cannon all by himself. "One minute to firing," the computerized voice told him. Smiling, he flipped open his special communicator and announced it to the other side. "Nothing can stop us now," he assured the person, "This thing will fire, hit the Mana Tree, and the job is done."

"Good. We can destroy any control the tree has on the world's mana, and then we'll come down from Derris Kharlan and take over," a female voice with a sinister tone replied, "Our goal of the new age of half-elves will finally be reached. Have your people ready for the docking in the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours," she ordered.

* * *

"If you look this direction, you will actually catch a glimpse of the Mana Tree from here," Gil informed Marshall, handing him a pair of binoculars. They were on the roof of the commercial building and looking to the north, as Gil wanted to show Marshall the big threat at hand. "I've chosen this building because it's the only one high enough and has nothing to the north taller, so we should have a clear view."

Marshall nodded, handing the binoculars back to Gil. "What do they plan to do? Shooting the tree with their Mana Cannon seems to hurt them as well, given that mana affects everyone in the world. Perhaps they have another thing up their sleeves?"

Gil shook his head. "I'm not sure. All I know is that from a story Captain Noishe told me, there's this civilization living up on Derris Kharlan comprised of half-elves that left the planet. they formed a temporary home there until the world was settled from the civil wars and fighting, but he's never heard from them since," Gil sighed, leaning on his crutches, "Derris Kharlan is supposed to arrive within the next day or two, so if Cruxis plans to use the mana-based comet to influence the world's mana, then we're all in trouble."

Just then, both men felt a slight rumbling on the building. They glanced at each other and slowly inched away from the railing, only to feel it get shakier and louder. It felt like a train was charging towards the two men, yet there were no tracks anywhere around them. Marshall turned to the southwest, where the door to the stairs was, and could not believe his eyes. "Gil, you better take a look at this," he requested nervously.

Gil turned with difficulty on his crutches, and saw a large ball of mana hurtling towards them. It got closer in a hurry, the ball getting bigger and the heat from the blast sizzled and heated the air around. The blast zinged above their heads, giving the two men a good look at the combination of several colours in the mana as it went by. Indeed, the blast was headed straight in the direction of the Mana Tree. Gil and Marshall returned to the railing, watching helplessly as the blast got closer and closer to the target. Gil brought his binoculars his eyes just in time as the blast collided with the trunk. It was a direct hit.

Gil watched in horror through the binoculars as the tree trunk collapsed, bringing down the mighty symbol of hope and balance in the Reunification. Branches crumbled and snapped, releasing mana in all directions and in such a violent way that a mushroom cloud formed to the north, spraying the mana across the land and to both countries. This time, the effects were felt everywhere, as shockwave after shockwave were sent around the planet. Gil and Marshall were hit so hard by the blasts that they fell to the ground, leaning as close to the floor as possible to prevent themselves from being blown off the building. The violent ride resembled a helpless rowboat caught in a tsunami, continuing for minutes and causing mayhem and confusion among the streets.

As thing settled, Gil and Marshall looked on as the Mana Tree was reduced to rubble, the mana of the world no longer stable. "I've heard from Captain Noishe that the world wouldn't last more than two or three days without this stability," Gil told the chief.

Immediately, Marshall pulled out his cell phone and called the Sylvarant military informing them of the events and their repercussions. Gil looked on as Marshall's tone became more heated and impatient, frustrated at the military's lacklustre response. "You're supposed to be in charge of national defence and public safety, how can you be so negligent? You want the world to fall apart before you act?" he demanded.

Turning away, Gil kept his eyes on the city, whipping out his binoculars as he observed Iselia from the building. People were still confused as to what just happened, as many citizens merely stepped onto the streets wondering if everything was still alright. Gil felt sorry for them, as he realized that they had no idea that their world would meet its end very soon. He scanned the roads and sidewalks with his binoculars when suddenly, he spotted something very unusual. A series of dark-coloured vans rumbled through the street Marshall came down earlier and screeched to a halt in front of the building.

Upon a closer look, he saw some familiar faces, namely those he worked with in Cruxis. Even Dell and Chatman, the two siding with him the most, filed into the building. "Chief, I think we may have a problem here," he called, "Cruxis has just arrived on our doorstep and are coming in this instant. I think you've been spotted by them earlier."

Marshall put his conversation on hold and glanced over the railing. The two men could only watch in horror as Cruxis members entered the lobby and presumably went to the elevator, heading straight to the roof and leaving them with no place to go.

* * *

The SIU vehicles reached the building but were blocked off from the parking just outside by the Cruxis vans. "Looks like Presea plans to meet with all of them," the driver of the lead car observed, "Let's go around and see if we can find her."

As the patrol cars pulled away, their off-duty colleague flagged them down. The officer on the passenger side rolled down his window as they approached him. "I can't find her around," the off-duty officer reported, "I lost track of her."

The officer in the vehicle cursed, angry that Cruxis outsmarted them. Whipping out the radio on their car, the officer called back to base to Captain Burton, all the while signalling to the driver to go around the block. "Captain, this is Unit 134, we just saw several Cruxis vehicles pulling up to the building. Cruxis members are charging inside as of we speak. What are your orders?" he asked, trying to keep an eye on the lobby.

There was static for a few seconds, which felt like years to the SIU teams on the street. Tension mounted as all of the Cruxis vans had emptied before their eyes. Finally, Burton's husky voice appeared on the radio. "No, don't pursue," he ordered, "We have a situation in our hands. The military reported that the Mana Tree might be destroyed, and the world's mana is currently unstable. Police units need to be on stand-by to make sure no one's hurt. Stay on stand-by, watch the situation, but don't get out of the car."

The officer could only stare in shock as his captain ended the conversation. "Wait, Cruxis is in there, and you're saying let's leave them alone?" he sputtered as they went around the block. The off-duty officer followed along, moving past the entrance of the building. Inside, Cruxis members waited for the elevators. Knowing the cannon was fired, and the police mole was about to be removed, this was truly a day for victory.

Things were not going so well on the roof, as Gil struggled down the stairs with his bad leg. He had to grip the railing sideways, leaning his back close to it and taking one gingerly step at a time. Marshall had already gone down one flight of stairs, looking on eagerly and holding onto Gil's crutches as he waited for his mole. Seeing that he was lagging behind, Gil asked Marshall to click for the elevator first. Marshall gave Gil a long look before charging down the remaining flight of stairs, pulling the door to the twenty-second floor open and went for the elevators while Gil continued his long climb down.

But before Gil could take another step down, Marshall burst back through the stairway. "It's no good, the elevators have all reached the bottom floor," he reported, "Cruxis' people are probably loading into them as of we speak."

Gil cursed under his breath. "We're trapped here. The elevators are filled with Cruxis people, and with my leg, there's no way we can make it down all these stairs in time," he replied nervously, wringing a free hand, "Any suggestions?"

Marshall gritted his teeth. "We have to get you out of here. You're the only link the police have to Cruxis, so your safety is most important." The chief handed Gil back the crutches and nudged him up. "Go back onto the roof and take the window cleaning platform down. It should be near where we were standing earlier. I'll hold them off."

Gil was about to protest, as he knew a fifty-five year old man would not fare particularly well against Cruxis members. But Marshall had already raced down and out the door again. Sighing, he could only hope Cruxis would go easy on the chief. Slowly, he clopped up the stairs again and onto the roof. He took a final look at the surroundings before hobbling to the cleaning platform. Tossing his crutches in, he negotiated his way through the handle bars, landing in with a thud that rang onto his cast. "This better not harm my recovery," he muttered, "But with those guys around, who am I to whine?"

Meanwhile, inside the building, Marshall positioned himself right in front of the elevators. The numbers on the elevators steadily increased, predicting that all would be over by the time they reached twenty-two. Marshall took a deep breath and could only hope for the best as this countdown to his possible death took place. Gil, I hope you got out safely, he thought. And just then, the elevators dinged and the doors whipped open.

* * *

The long ride down to the ground was extremely uncomfortable to Gil, and it was not just due to the unusual position he placed himself. Although the tight compartment made it extra difficult for his cast, he was truly worried about Marshall facing all those Cruxis people alone. Gil wiped the cold perspiration off his face, his hands still shaking from the fear that the chief might not make it out safely. Then, with a gentle thud, the lift landed onto street level. Gil promptly grabbed his crutches, crawled out and hobbled off.

Gil took a look at the surroundings like a small mammal exiting its underground home, making sure there were no enemies nearby. He knew that there was a taxi pick-up station about a block away, so if he grabbed a cab over there, he could still make it home. I better not call Lloyd; it's too dangerous for him to be here, he thought to himself.

He went as fast as his injury would take him, the clumsy clopping of the crutches making things even slower. But before he could even reach the end of the block, he was stopped by an object falling from the sky, coming down on him like a meteor. It barely missed crushing Gil, and landed onto a vehicle just beside him, completely denting the roof. The car alarm ringing through the air caught the attention of those around, including the SIU units circling the block. Gil turned to the car and could not believe his eyes.

Before him was a gruesome sight, with the lifeless body of Chief Marshall on the car's roof. His face and body were bloodied, no doubt from the fall, but also from a beating by Cruxis members. Gil stared in shock and disbelief, not wanting to admit that the worst did happen. But there it was, the body of the well-known Anthony Marshall, Iselia Police Chief, lying on the stone-cold metal of the car, stone-cold dead.

A flurry of images flashed through Gil's mind. He remembered all the times the two had met: from the beginning, when Gil first received permission to go undercover; being in Marshall's office with Noishe, when he was re-assigned back to Iselia Cruxis and ended up being "arrested" the first time back; the times the two men met each other when Noishe was unavailable, and developing a good rapport. Between them, Marshall was like the mentor Gil never had, always urging him forward and helping him in times of need. It wasn't like Noishe did not do that, but meeting with Marshall was different than meeting with the former Protozoan. Noishe sounded more like a historian, always observing and analyzing. Even though Gil and Noishe were also friends, it felt like Marshall was more fatherly and caring, rather than admiring but distant.

And for the next few minutes, Gil could only stand there, his emotions all mixed up inside his head as he stared expressionlessly at the body of Marshall. In that span of time, Gil felt sadness, anger, frustration, loss, and even guilt as he realized that Marshall had died trying to protect him. It's almost like Anna, Gil thought, she died protecting the world, protecting Lloyd and me, from Cruxis. Now, another person had to die protecting him from the extremists, and Gil could only imagine how many more deaths might come.

Just as he concluded with these thoughts, he heard a voice shout from afar, "It's Gil, he's still alive!" Gil turned to see Dell and Chatman exiting the building with many Cruxis people. Gil suddenly felt more anger, as he wondered whether his two colleagues from Cruxis did any of the beating on Marshall. They rushed towards him, seeming to be relieved to know that Gil was back in Iselia in one piece after the Rodyle incident.

But the reunion was broken up quickly as SIU members charged out and opened fire. A gunfight blazed like wildfire on the block as the two sides exchanged shots. Dell and Chatman, seeing the danger, began hauling Gil off to a nearby Cruxis van. Dell opened a door to let Gil in first, seeing how his injury would make him most vulnerable. While Chatman pushed Gil in, Dell pulled out a gun of his own and fired away.

Gil observed in stunned silence as a flurry of bullets whizzed through the air right in their direction. Then, a few shots got too close for comfort, shattering a window on the van. Gil ducked for cover as he was showered with broken glass. By the time he got back up, Dell was no longer standing. He was hit in the chest and slumped to the floor, blood oozing from his sternum and spraying from his mouth. "Dell!" he yelled from his seat. But before he could open the door and yank him in, Chatman struggled into the driver seat and gunned the engine. More shots hit the van as it sped away, leaving the scene of violence behind them as it headed away from the downtown core.

The remaining scene was a bloodbath. Cruxis members were not ready for the SIU ambush, as many, including Dell, ended up on the floor, either dead or severely injured. The SIU team leader immediately radioed back to the station. "Captain Burton, we have a situation here. Chief Marshall was in the building earlier, and he was thrown off the roof. There was a gunfight with Cruxis, and the scene must be taped off right now!"

* * *

"That was so unreal back there, you would have never imagined what it was like," Chatman gasped, taking deep gulps of air as he drove down the road with Gil. The always vocal and outspoken half-elf explained the events of the last few days that led to the day's battle with the police. "For starters, Forcystus had every intention to take the cannon from Rodyle, and had us hack through the system and get into the machine. Now, I wasn't too thrilled about that, given you were still there, and the military was observing Rodyle the entire time. I thought, what if Gil was caught in the crossfire? That would mean losing one of our own. But what do you know? Forcystus didn't even entertain my ideas!"

Gil sat in stunned silence, not fully absorbing Chatman's stories. The battle at the commercial building was still fresh in his mind, the smell of blood from Marshall's shirt, the sight of Dell being shot and slumping to the ground, the sounds of bullet whizzing through the air. All those images flashed through his mind like a newsreel. Gil had been in gunfights in the past, but he always viewed them as battles against strangers. This time, to see a friend from each side perish, he couldn't help but feel empty inside.

"Anyway, we were chugging along, just dealing with the cannon, and hearing how Forcystus would bring his grand theme to action and fire the thing at the tree when out of nowhere, he tells us to stop what we're doing," Chatman continued, sniffling a bit and completely oblivious to Gil's trance-like expression, "He said he got this call from our mole in the police that Marshall was meeting with the mole the police sent into our group, and that we're going to take those guys out…"

Gil froze. Turning to Chatman, he asked for a clarification. "You said the Cruxis mole in the police informed Forcystus of the meeting with Marshall?" he demanded.

Chatman nodded. His breathing became shallower and faster, as if he was short of breath. "Now, you know me, Gil, I'm not big on the fighting aspect. In battles like these, I usually try to find the safest spot and ambush people from there, but then Dell told me to go with him to the top floor and attack the police chief. He said something about making him tell us about the police mole. We took him to the roof and beat him non-stop for five minutes. You got to hand it to that old man! He remained silent during all this time."

Gil slumped down onto his seat again. Forcystus clearly wanted to play rough, as he commanded Cruxis members to use force and other methods of cruelty on another life just to flush him out. It saddened Gil to hear one of his Cruxis friends resorting to force on one of his police friends, all because of his presence. He tried to hide his expression by covering his face with a free hand; the more information Chatman revealed, the more it broke Gil down, and Gil truly wondered how much more he could bear.

Suddenly, the van took a vicious swerve to the side, careening off the road and into a ditch. Only the grass patch eased the violence of the impact. Gil bucked wildly from his seat before his seat belt yanked him back. Shaken awake from his guilt, Gil turned to Chatman to check if he was alright, only to find him slumped forward, blood oozing onto the wheel. That was when Gil was hit with another revelation, another one of his friends had been shot in the incident, and was about to lose his life.

Immediately, Gil pulled Chatman back and tried to cover the wound. It was to no avail, as blood flooded out of the half-elf's chest like a dam bursting. Gil administered whatever aid possible to keep his friend alive. "I've always expected you to be a survivor, Gil," Chatman gasped, "Even when Rodyle was…was being attacked, I knew you'd get out." Chatman's breathing was so quick and hoarse that Gil figured he only had seconds to live. The half-elf coughed up a few mouthfuls of blood before saying one last line. "Just remember one thing, Gil. Whenever someone…is pretending to be concentrated…in doing something, but always takes sneak peeks at you, then…then that person…is…an undercover…cop." With that, Chatman slumped forward onto the wheel, for the last time.

"Chatman, no!" Gil shouted, trying to revive his friend. But soon, he realized that the two people he trusted the most in Cruxis, and the man he connected best within the police, were all dead. And, for the first time in a decade, Gil felt truly vulnerable. He wept quietly as he mourned the deaths of three friends, all gone in this crazy battle between Cruxis and police. They were all good people, Gil thought to himself, but they just happened to play on different teams, and that's what ended up happening.

Gil slowly stepped out of the van, carefully utilizing his crutches to manoeuvre around the grass. He truly wished that there was an end to this war and gave his friends the eternal rest they deserved; it was the least he could do. Chatman's last conversation with him echoed in his mind, as it constantly reminded Gil of his status as a mole, and how he was always between good and evil. "… call from our mole in the police that Marshall was meeting with the mole the police sent into our group…"

Suddenly, it struck Gil. There was the solution to his entire situation. "What if I flushed out the Cruxis mole? And healed her too, and took out Cruxis at the same time?" Gil's thoughts trailed off as he pondered the possibilities. Given the precarious situation with the police, and the world's stability at stake, he had to defeat Cruxis once and for all.

Determined, he was ready to take action. Hobbling back onto the road, he pulled out his cell phone and dialled home. "Lloyd, I want you to pick me up," he requested to his son, "I'm currently stuck at this location…"

* * *

Police headquarters was in a mess throughout the evening as the high ranking members of the SIU was hounded by ethics commissioner over their actions. The ethics commissioner bombarded Captain Burton with questions over the orders he gave to the team to stand-by and how the following events contradicted it. "So what, in your opinion, do you feel compelled your team to fire away despite your orders?" he demanded.

"For the last time, I don't know," Burton replied gruffly, "All I heard was that the target for our investigation, an officer named Presea Combatir, currently on leave, was spotted in the area by one of our off-duty guys. And when our unit got there, the entire block was surrounded by Cruxis members. When Chief Marshall fell off the building, then all hell broke loose, you happy?" Burton glared at the commissioner as he ended.

The commissioner turned away from the SIU captain, his face expressionless, which only seemed to incense the heavyset Burton even more. Facing Captain Noishe, the commissioner proceeded to ask him about the chief's dealings. "It's been shown by some records from his cell phone that he was communicating with a mole of some sort. The caller ID refused to show the name, but that's been the general consensus between you and Captain Burton. Does the chief realize the dangers of the day, and how Cruxis, by entering the building, will actually spot them?" he asked in that conceited tone.

Now it was Noishe's turn to glare at the commissioner. Inside, Noishe truly hoped that the commissioner would not attempt to duplicate his attitude should Noishe be in the Arshis form, or else he would be bitten into pieces by the large dog. "For the last time, I have no idea whether the chief is aware of this threat. The only thing for certain is that he was the only one thrown off the building. Whether he did it to protect my mole, or Cruxis has my mole in their possession, or even if my mole got out safely at all, I have no idea. All I can say is that the chief met with my mole because I couldn't make it."

The commissioner lowered the notebook away from his face. He pulled off his glasses and stared at the former Protozoan. "I'll have you know that any negligence on your part or Captain Burton's part could result in a PR disaster," he warned them, "You two are making the force look really bad right now."

But before Noishe could retort, his cell phone rang. Stepping away from the room, he looked at the caller ID before answering it. "Gil, so you manage to get away safely?" Noishe asked, "The ethics commissioner's giving us crap about negligence and dangers and making the force look bad. Give me a quick run-through of what happened and I can get him off my case and continue helping you with Cruxis," Noishe requested.

"I'll help you out there, but I already have a solution with Cruxis. All it requires is help from my son," Gil replied. He quickly went through the day's events, from the time he saw Marshall enter the building, to the time he was whisked away with Chatman. He even announced what Chatman revealed before he died, that Marshall was spotted by the Cruxis mole in the police, who then alerted Cruxis to go there. "But all that's about to be solved, because my son and I are heading straight to the mole's house right now. We're going to solve her, and everyone's problems," Gil concluded.

"Wait, what are you planning?" Noishe asked, "You're not going to take out the mole completely, are you? Gil, this is a serious matter here, so don't be hasty!"

"Oh no, I'm not going to hurt her. I'm just going to try that cure we found out about that saved Lynn and Colette on her," Gil explained. As he sat in the passenger seat of his Audi V8, Lloyd strode up to Presea's front door with a manila envelope. Inside was a tape that involved conversations Gil had with Zelos, Seles and Altessa in Exire. Some conversations even had Altessa making references of knowing Presea and curing her.

Lloyd stood nervously at the door, his throat coarser than sandpaper. Gil had told him to ring the doorbell, drop the envelope to the ground, and hide in the bushes. Despite knowing some martial arts, Lloyd had not practiced his agility skills for a few years. But knowing that Gil would be even slower, he had to risk it. Wiping his mouth one last time, he pressed the door bell, let the envelope slide out of his hand, and sped off sideways.

Lloyd tried to use the darkness provided by the bushes to make his cover, curling up close to the ground and in a foetus-like position. The next few seconds brought nothing but silence, as nobody arrived to the door. Lloyd's heart pounded hard against his ribcage and almost in unison with each ticking second. He was so tense that he nearly cut off his own breathing as he held his breath in anticipating the result. Finally, the light on the front door was flipped on as a short, pink-haired young woman opened the door.

Presea glanced around, trying to locate a person. Her eyes scanned the front porch but her neck was bent sideways as she cradled a phone on her face. She finally looked down to see the envelope, sitting on her door mat innocently. Readjusting the phone, she bent down to pick it up. "I could come around tomorrow night to help you program it, for sure," she stated into her phone as she returned inside, envelope in hand.

As the door slammed shut, Lloyd released his breath, his muscles relaxing and returning to their ordinary places. Finding the courage to get up, he hurried back into the car, slipping into the driver's seat and speeding off. As Lloyd drove, Gil used his cell phone again, dialling for a very familiar person. "Zelos, Gil here. Did I wake you? Listen, I want you to find a way to get to Iselia from Exire in the next eighteen hours, and make sure you bring Altessa with you…" Gil ordered his Tethe'alla undercover counterpart.

* * *

Presea felt a sense of déjà vu as she returned to the very building Chief Marshall met his death at twenty-four hours ago. She managed to slip away just as Cruxis arrived, but obviously her appearance had not gone unnoticed, as a mysterious tape appeared at her door last night. The person who sent the tape recorded his own voice into it, claiming to know her identity and threatened to send the police after her should she not cooperate.

The police worked overnight trying to scour the scene for any evidence regarding the initiation of the shooting. The gruesome scene from the day before only compounded the fear inside Presea's head as she reminisced over the content of the tape, with the voice of Altessa being played. Presea shivered as she remembered the painful experiment the dwarf designed to test on her. She could still remember the helpless feeling of being strapped tight, with a single bright light glaring into her eyes. She felt the numbness in her body as the Exsphere was implanted into the top of her sternum, and how she lost feeling and control of her own body for a while. She felt the round sphere on her chest as she entered an open elevator and pressing the button to the top floor. Oddly, Altessa seemed desperate to see her, insisting that should the owner of the tape return to Iselia, he should find Presea immediately. "What does he have in mind?" she wondered.

Reaching the top floor, she stepped out of the elevator and into the stairs that led her to the roof. She was nervous and anxious at the same time, wondering what could be in store for her. She slowly pushed the door open, peering out ever so cautiously. When there was no one near her, she inched out to the open, letting a cool breeze hit her.

Just as she was away from the door, a tall man approached her. Presea thought he looked familiar, but could not remember who he was. "Presea?" the man whispered, like he just saw an old classmate, "I can't believe it, you're still alive!"

Presea froze, not knowing how to react. How did he know who she was? But the man answered her question just in time. "My name is Regal Bryant. I'm the CEO of the Lezareno Company in Altamira. A few years ago, I hired a bright young woman from Ozette into my team. That young woman is Alicia Combatir, your sister," he explained.

"Wait, you know Alicia?" Presea asked in shock. But before she could say more, Altessa appeared from behind the door with another strange contraption in his hands. The sight of the dwarf alone was enough to send Presea into fear. "Stay back, don't come any closer!" she shouted, backing away from the two men. "You, you're in cohort with him, aren't you?" she demanded, pointing an accusing finger at Regal.

"Presea, please calm down. Altessa's not here to harm you. In fact, he has a cure for that Exsphere of yours," Regal tried to reassure Presea.

Presea refused to go anywhere near Altessa, his experiment still too traumatizing for her. Instead, she bolted the other way, trying to find another stairway out of the roof. There was nothing but open area ahead of her when suddenly, a red-haired man jumped from nowhere and tackled her. They struggled on the ground for a minute, with Presea twisting and turning hard, trying to break free. But the man was too strong, as he wrapped his arms around her and turned her onto her back. "I got her!" he yelled.

Just then, Regal and Altessa caught up to them. As Regal and the redhead pinned her against a wall, a clopping sound could be heard as a goateed man on crutches hobbled up to them. "Hey, I saw you yesterday," Presea began, remembering him as the man the chief met in the lobby. But before she could say more, Altessa administered a numbing agent of some sort, causing her to feel dizzy, and ultimately lapsed into unconsciousness.

* * *

The scene with Gil escaping and Marshall getting thrown off was found in both The Departed and Infernal Affairs. I just altered it a bit to make it suit my story. Please tell me what you think, thanks!


	34. The Iselia Departure

**Mandrakefunnyjuice **and **I.K.A. Valian **reviewed, and after a short hiatus with a broken computer, **Poet Bucky** has started joining us again. I have to thank Bucky for some parts of this chapter, because we had a discussion regarding Gil's full name in relation to the ancient characters. I managed to take some of her ideas and incorporated them here to make things go more smoothly. So Bucky, my hat's off to you.

Anyway, for those who have received my email, try downloading that song I recommended, and read the last chapter again, starting from when Gil noticed Marshall's body on the car, to when Chatman drives him away in the van. In my opinion, the music helps "enhance" your experience in that scene. So if you haven't tried it already, try it out. If you want the song, email me and I'll give you a link.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

Presea finally stirred after that nasty attack from a group of strange people. She could have sworn that Altessa, the one whose experiment put her with Cruxis in the first place, was getting at her again. Shaking her head, she slowly straightened out her body when a cool feeling emanating from her collar caught her attention. She felt along her neck and down, and realized the top two buttons of her shirt were opened. Then finally, she reached the top of her sternum, and found a bandage covering the area. She pressed on the bandage and felt a depression in the centre. Suddenly, it hit her. The Exsphere was gone! Was that why Altessa was here earlier? He really wanted to cure me, she thought.

"Oh good, you're awake," a voice called from beside her. Presea whipped her around and saw the redhead that tackled her. He had a cast on his left wrist, which showed how strong he was, as Presea figured he must have tackled her with one arm. "Zelos Wilder, at your service," he introduced himself, "I can't possibly let a charming lady like you to get hurt with that Exsphere, so I teamed up with them to remove it."

Presea's look of relief turned into a scowl of annoyance. "No offense, but I'd rather keep the Exsphere on than be rescued by a shameless flirt like you," she retorted.

Zelos winced as Presea got onto her feet. Behind them, the group chuckled as they greeted the healed Presea. The first person she approached was the tall, marine-haired man. "Regal Bryant, thank you for everything, I heard about Alicia working in Altamira. I know how much she said she enjoyed working with you, so thank you for taking good care of her while she was there. I actually do know about her death. When the Exsphere was removed, some memories from the last years are coming back. One was from when Cruxis had me, and they told me about her," she grabbed Regal's hand, "I don't hold you responsible. If anything, it's this twisted organization bent on destroying the world."

Regal smiled, tears forming in his eyes. "Thank you, Presea," Regal replied, "I know it's hard for you to deal with her death. That's why I promised on her life that I would do everything in my power to make things right."

Presea nodded, satisfied and thankful of his efforts. Then, she moved onto the dwarf in the group. Altessa stared at her, still feeling guilty at his experiment that caused the death of Alicia, and nearly hurt Presea as well. "I know you're not ready to forgive me yet, and I don't expect you to feel a hundred percent about it," Altessa murmured, his back hunched and eyes looking at the floor, "But I hope that little gesture of healing you his at least allowed me to pay back some of what I've done."

Presea looked at him. Part of her pitied his situation, as Cruxis tended to be quite forceful in their attempts to make others obey, yet she was still angry at Altessa's at best reluctance to help, which ultimately left her with three years of lost time. "I'll try my best to look on the brighter side, but I think it'll take some time before I'm ready to make up with you," she decided, "But when I'm ready, I hope you can make it happen."

Lastly, Presea moved onto Gil. "So for the last month, you're the one I've been hunting down," she said, "And likewise, you've been trying to hunt me down."

Gil smiled. "That's the life of a mole, I guess," he retorted, "But now that you're back to normal, I guess it's time for me to show all my cards. I've made my choice, and that is to finish off Cruxis once and for all. Forcystus has harmed way too many people, and now, with the balance of the world at stake, everybody's in danger. But he still thinks I'm dead, meaning I have the advantage and the element of surprise, so I have to rely on you," he explained, "What choice will you make? Join us and contribute to police after all those years of spying, or sit out and be forever shrouded by your sins?"

Now it was Presea's turn to feel guilty. True, she deceived the police, particularly her SIU colleagues, for three years, but if she turned it around now, she might not have a job left. The police was bound to demand answers for her conduct, and that would mean at least an internal investigation. "Make up your mind quickly. We don't have much time left," Gil warned, "The world's falling apart as of we speak, and with Derris Kharlan supposedly at its closest point tomorrow, who knows what the extra mana could do."

Suddenly, Presea's head shot up. "I heard something about that from Forcystus yesterday," she remembered, "It was when I answered the doorbell and found your tape. I was on the phone with him, and he said he wanted help programming a mana connection with the comet. He said something about using the mana from Derris Kharlan as his main power source so he could make the world his own way or something like that."

"And all the more we have to act quickly," Gil replied, "I want someone to get into Cruxis headquarters while the police attacks are coordinated from the outside. It has to be done tonight because the military base from Triet is sending in troops to assist us in emergency situations. With the extra staff around, we can get police officers into Cruxis and destroy them once and for all. But Zelos has already been exposed as a mole, and I'm not exactly mobile right now, so it has to be you. This is our only chance, will you help?"

* * *

"SIU Team 1, keep on standby near the Cruxis base. Make sure nobody is coming in or out of the area, especially civilian vehicles," Captain Burton ordered, "SIU Team 2, you're in charge of the area one block north. It's expected that the location of the Derris Kharlan connector is located somewhere on the northern outskirts of town. Cut the Cruxis guys off when they come out. Team 3, report your location…"

As promised by Presea, the operation to destroy Cruxis would be on. Gil was on the field in his Audi V8, still pretending to be dead while Presea had returned to Cruxis to help Forcystus program the connection. Presea confirmed that Forcystus also believed the police mole had been killed already, courtesy of Gil and Captain Noishe circulating a report earlier suggesting the police mole was killed in the shootout the day before. "He still thinks Chatman Collins is the mole," Presea reported, "Why Chatman though?"

"He's been one of my closest friends in Cruxis, and although the few times you met him you saw a loudmouth, I truly felt he had the brains to go really far. Besides, he's always the one trying to locate the mole, so might as well make it him, right?" Gil replied on his cell phone. Turning back to the two-way radio, he informed Noishe of the current situation. "Forcystus is just about to make his entrance into the base, so get ready."

Gil put his radio down as he could hear Noishe relaying the orders to SIU. Sitting in the driver seat, Lloyd looked on nervously as he pondered his first undercover case. It had been nearly a decade since he was this close with his father, and not even two days after finding out about his identity and all that Gil did behind his back, he was with Gil cracking possibly the biggest case in Iselia history. "You really think we can make it through?" he asked his father, "We have to get it done, or that's it for everyone."

Gil looked at his son. Part of him felt his son still had a long way to go before he could become a successful person, but part of him felt proud of Lloyd at all the progress and maturation he made throughout the last month alone. "When it's gut-check time, you really don't have a choice," Gil responded, "That's the message Chief Marshall told me whenever I whined about wanting to give up. With an extremist organization like this and so many connections to dangerous equipment, can I really afford to give in?"

"So I guess this mission is partially for the chief as well, right?" Lloyd asked, "He was killed when Cruxis threw him off the building, and you're finishing the job for him?"

"It's not just the chief's death that's affecting me," Gil replied, "Many people died in this battle against Cruxis: him, your mother, Alicia, even two friends I had in Cruxis. I always say that the damages a mole gets in his career cannot be seen, and it's because the pain and suffering are internal. The psychological stress this mission on me is harder than anything else, and I'm just glad you're willing to go with me on this."

Just then, Presea called Gil again on the cell phone. "Forcystus is about to head out, so get the police units ready," she instructed Gil. Heeding the order, Gil got on his two-way and radioed Noishe and Burton. Within seconds, a series of police vehicles roared through the streets, following the Cruxis group from a safe distance. Not a word was spoken in the vehicles of either group as they headed for their destination. Presea could only look on nervously as they neared city limits, the lights fading from behind her.

They finally reached their destination as Cruxis members filed out of the vehicles and onto the grass. Forcystus had the technical crew set up his platform to prepare for the connection to be made to Derris Kharlan. But Presea picked up her laptop and headed for a different direction. "Forcystus told me that the programming for his machine works best from higher elevations, so I'm just going to higher ground," she informed the group.

When nobody objected, she sneaked off around a small hill. Discretely, she sat in the shadows, blending in perfectly with the geography. She flipped open the laptop and slipped in an internet connection card. "It's my turn to perform," she muttered to herself.

As these events unfolded, Lloyd and Gil observed from a distance. It was still in everyone's best interests that Gil did not associate himself with police yet, but to have Gil present during Forcystus' act, Lloyd was told to follow from afar and park their vehicle somewhere else. As they neared the outskirts, Gil told Lloyd to stop the Audi and kept an eye on the outside. Lloyd borrowed Gil's binoculars to zoom in on Cruxis as Gil went back on his radio and notified Noishe and Burton. "Where are you guys?" Gil asked the captains, "Shouldn't your controls van be here already?"

"We're almost there. Just give us a few more minutes," Noishe replied. Sighing, Gil put the radio down and waited patiently, eyes trained on the Cruxis crowd gathered around the strange platform. Father and son were of two different attitudes, with Lloyd all excited and anxious to teach Cruxis a lesson, while Gil seemed bored and uninterested. From the binoculars, Lloyd could see Forcystus and a few assistants wandering around the platform, pressing various buttons and switches, with lights flashing in several places. The spiky-haired teen could only wonder what the sophisticated machines were all about.

Suddenly, the silence was cut through with a shrill ring. Gil picked up his cell to answer, leaving Lloyd to look away from the platform and at his father, curious to know what was happening. After a minute or so, Gil had what he wanted. "Lloyd, let's go," Gil commanded as he put his cell phone away, "The intercepting program has been initiated and we're going in for the attack." With that, he whipped out his radio and forwarded the message to police. Lloyd turned on the engine and pulled the car away from the road.

* * *

Forcystus could not stop beaming as he realized just how close he was to his goal. He had been involved in this since the first day, when he formed Cruxis over ten years ago. He was actually recruited by an older half-elf, who had been voicing the overhaul of the world and required younger half-elves to take charge. This half-elf claimed to have been to Derris Kharlan, and came down from there with orders from a radical new leader that took control of the comet and was bent on using its mana to influence to world. With Rodyle's technological skills, they managed to set up a communication connection with the comet, getting in touch with the leader shortly after Cruxis formation.

But it was also through this decade that Forcystus' ambition grew as well. Kvar and Magnius were not interested in this radical approach, and were more interested in the money-making schemes. It was they who rejected the first calls to re-create the vision of the fallen hero Mithos, and even had the old half-elf killed off when he spoke against them. It was through this that Forcystus realized those two were not worthy, and must be disposed at all costs. It was through Gil that he managed to destroy the Cruxis branches from inside, all under the assumption that a police mole was around.

In the end, he was convinced that the mole had been taken care of, and it was one that had been with Gil when he took out Kvar and Magnius. "Chatman, always the weird one," Forcystus murmured, "How did he hide it for that long?" It also explained why there was fewer police involvement into his activities during the time he sent them to the other areas, as he figured Chatman had probably asked the police to suspend operations just to let him do his thing. "Smart move, but not smart enough," Forcystus said smugly.

"Sir, we're just about ready to start," one Cruxis member informed him. Forcystus nodded, granting permission to operate. The machine, just like the mana cannon, had a group of Exspheres powering it. Little did the police know, but Forcystus had a set of Exspheres made as well. Although there was not as large a quantity as Rodyle, it was still enough to power the machine, and send mana into space to connect with the comet.

The machine shot a bright beam of mana into the air, the beacon of victory for Cruxis, and in Forcystus' eyes, half-elves. The final step to their world would finally take place. As this happened, Forcystus could not help but think back to Gil, who had been in the Rodyle incident, and could no longer join them in the new world. Apart from his experience, the main reason he sent Gil there was because Gil was the only human in Iselia's Cruxis. Forcystus and his Derris Kharlan associate insisted that only half-elves were allowed to partake in the final move and that meant they had to remove Gil. He originally doubted sacrificing his best lieutenant, but in the end went with it. "Humans are inferior anyway, so just make use of them, and then discard them," he told himself.

Suddenly, the machine wheezed and slowed, the mana beam slowly fading to a sliver. Forcystus' hopeful expression turned into a frown. "What's going on?" the green-haired half-elf demanded, "Why isn't it working? Fix it, right now!"

As Cruxis members scurried around the platform, trying to locate the error, a series of searchlights flashed on. The Cruxis team was cornered like a wounded animal as a voice from a loudspeaker called out, "This is the Iselia police. We have you surrounded! Surrender now or we'll use force against you!"

Mass chaos ensued as Cruxis members were caught completely off guard. The police charged in like predators on a hunt, grabbing and apprehending several close-by Cruxis members. Forcystus barked out a series of orders, with some members grabbing their weapons, while others continued to fix the machine. In the midst of the confusion, the SIU and SWAT teams raced in, many with their guns drawn and ready to fire. In seconds, bullets whizzed and sizzled through the air as the two sides had an all-out war on the field. The ambush was clearly successful, and Cruxis was at a disadvantage.

"Can't you fools do anything right?" Forcystus yelled, although it was unsure whether it was directed at the Cruxis fighters or the programmers. Seeing that his men were dropping like flies, he decided to take action. Operating on his arm again, the big arm cannon re-emerged and formed, giving Forcystus the most firepower out of all the people present. Aiming at the centre of the police team, he sent a blast of mana in that direction. The large explosion created a fireball that lit up the night sky, sending people from both sides tumbling in every direction. "Take that, inferior beings!" he shouted.

Despite the setback, the police seemed determined to end the battle once and for all. Regrouping within seconds, the teams bore down at them once more, penetrating into Cruxis' last line of defence. With fighters dwindling, Forcystus loaded up again and fired, this time blowing a hole into the police's formation. As some members of the SWAT team suffered mana burns, Forcystus then decided to cast a mana spell of his own. "How about some air?" he sneered at the police as he released a series of sharp air blades. That managed to blow back whatever remaining SWAT members still standing.

Just as he surveyed the scene for more police officers, the SIU sent in a sniping unit and began picking off the technologists one by one. The pops from the sniping rifles signalled the deaths of each technologist. By the time Forcystus managed to locate the SIU snipers, his entire programming crew were on the floor drenched in their own blood. "No inferior police team can stop this," he muttered. He concentrated his mana at the hills, and surrounded it with a ball of wind, slicing and cutting at all those hiding behind there. As snipers tried to escape, Forcystus aimed his arm cannon again and shot another blast. The violent explosion sent dirt, grass, and snipers flying through the air.

Seeing the scene somewhat clearly before him, Forcystus made a beeline towards the hills on the side. Whipping out his cell phone, he dialled for Presea demanding that she took over the control on programming the platform. "If that platform's mana can't be detected by Derris Kharlan, all our plans will be wasted," he murmured angrily.

Just then, he could hear the shrill ring of a phone piercing through the night and amidst all the firing. He glanced to the side and saw Presea, cell phone in hand, get to her feet and stepping away from her laptop. She had a defiant look, which puzzled the Cruxis leader until he saw two figures march into the scene from the shadows. One was a spiky-haired teen in a T-shirt, baggy jeans and skater shoes; the other was a man on crutches, wearing a dark leather jacket, dress pants, and dress shoes. Even in the dim conditions, Forcystus could make out the identity of these strangers, especially the man with the unmistakable goatee. "Gil Irving, you're alive," he stated, shocked.

"You thought you could kill me off?" Gil retorted, "Not a chance. And now my son and I ought to get some payback for what you did to the two of us."

Forcystus fumed. "So this is it, a mutiny," he spat angrily, "You plan to betray me after all that you've accomplished here. And you," he continued, turning to Presea, "did you happen to forget you still have an Exsphere on you? Its functions may be suspended, but should I activate them, you'll be dead for sure. I still have the cure, and until I release you from the Exsphere, you're still under my control! You hear me?"

Then, Presea smiled, taking off her jacket and unbuttoned the first two buttons on her shirt. It revealed a bandage wrapped around her collar. She loosened it and showed her sternum. The Exsphere was gone! "You've been outsmarted, Forcystus," Presea told the Cruxis leader, "Gil contacted me earlier and we had the Exsphere removed. You no longer have any control over me, and that means I can do what I want now." With that, she pulled out a gun of her own and pointed it at Forcystus. "I've been asked by you and Rodyle to join the police, I guess now's the time for me to act like a police officer."

That last statement officially pushed Forcystus to the edge. Realizing that he had fallen into a trap, he seethed in anger. "No pathetic inferior beings can destroy me!" he roared. Whipping his cannon arm around, he pointed it at Presea. He prepared to fire it at her when suddenly he was thrown to the ground. Any mana that he attempted to charge in the cannon dissipated and dispersed harmlessly into the air.

Forcystus glanced up to see a certain spiky-haired teen's angry face, mirroring that of his own. Lloyd clenched a fist and clocked the Cruxis leader across the face. "This one is for my mom!" he shouted as the punch connected, bloodying Forcystus' nose.

But Lloyd did not stop there, as he untangled himself from the tackle and got to his feet. Turning around, he kicked the Cruxis leader hard in the ribs, twice. "And these are for Colette, and Mrs. Sage!" he continued. Forcystus howled in pain, rolling on the ground as Lloyd turned to his head. Their poses truly illustrated who was in the superior position, with Lloyd towering over the fallen Cruxis leader. "And this one, it's for my car." Reeling his leg back, Lloyd prepared to deal his final hit.

But it never connected, as Forcystus manage to raise a hand and held onto Lloyd's foot. Even when weakened, the large half-elf could still pack a punch, swinging Lloyd's leg around and hurling the teen onto the ground. "I have Derris Kharlan's power, that's more than you'll ever control," Forcystus growled, "You're messing with the wrong person, kid. I won't go down that easily. Three-on-one, I'll take you all down."

Just as Forcystus was about to ram Lloyd with his cannon, a shot rang out and struck his right shoulder. Wincing in pain, he turned around only to see Gil point his own gun at him. Gil no longer had two crutches, discarding the left crutch and exhibiting a heavier lean on his right crutch, the side with the broken leg, while he gripped the gun with his left hand. "I don't care much for Cruxis, but I've always said that if you so much lay a finger on my son, I'll kill you on the spot," Gil warned, his tone filled with venom, "And in case you're wondering, I can shoot with my left hand just as well as my right."

Another shot was fired, this time from Presea's gun, and hitting Forcystus' left shoulder right above the cannon. "Neither Gil or I cared much for Cruxis, since I'm forced here against my free will. If this is the half-elf utopia you're supporting, where other races are merely your slaves, then I'll fight it at all costs. In fact, that's what Gil's been doing all these years. In case you haven't known yet, Gil's the undercover cop in Cruxis for the last ten years, and his mission is finally going to end," she revealed.

Finally, Forcystus could see his fate sealed before him. It was always Gil's intent to destroy him, yet Gil was also the man he trusted the most in Cruxis. Now, with Presea healed, Forcystus truly had no card left to play. Lloyd slowly got to his feet, just in time to hear Forcystus utter one last line, "Glory to the new age of half-elves." As it was said, two guns fired at the same time, with Presea's shot hitting Forcystus right in the chest, and Gil's shot nailing him in the forehead. The Iselia Cruxis leader slumped to the ground for the last time. The threat that hounded them for all these years was finally gone.

* * *

The ovation received by both Gil and Presea were nothing short of spectacular as they returned to the police station. Police officers clapped and cheered as they strode through the offices. Lloyd could not help but admire the appreciation the police showed them, even with Presea likely to be subject to an internal investigation, and Gil was not known to be an active police officer. Captain Burton exited his office to shake their hands and congratulated them on a job well done. "Captain Noishe is waiting in his office for you. I'm sure you'll like what he has to say," he informed Gil with a wink.

Gil smiled, knowing what he meant. He gave Presea one last look before clopping off on his crutches. As he left, Burton requested that Presea surrender her badge for now. "It's only right that we go through the proper procedure," he explained, "Although under your circumstances, I'll definitely vouch for you to get your name cleared."

Presea gave up without complaint, removing her identification from her wallet and placing the card and her badge into her superior's hands. Lloyd truly felt sorry for her, as she had done so much to help Gil defeat Forcystus. Nevertheless, he had to have faith in the justice system, and hoped that Presea would regain her humanity and freedom in the end. Watching as Burton marched Presea into his office, Lloyd soldiered on, going to the other side of the floor. He went into the Major Crimes Unit, with its entrance located on the same floor, but the office actually one floor above the SIU.

Gil was at the secretary's desk, checking in with the receptionist. Despite the slow and clumsy movements with the crutches, Lloyd could see in Gil's posture and walking pace that Gil had not been happier or more upbeat. Inside, Lloyd truly felt proud as well, as this would be the first time in ten years that he got to interact normally with his father again. He observed his father for another moment or so before Captain Noishe came out of his office and summoned Gil. "I'll be back in a few minutes, alright?" Gil instructed Lloyd.

The last thing Gil saw was Lloyd nodding and grinning enthusiastically, taking a seat on a nearby couch as Noishe closed the office door. Pulling out several files, Noishe explained to Gil the procedure to restore his identity. "Once I got everything into the computer, I can reinstate you into the force. Chief Marshall's computer has your file, but since both of us have the password, it's not that hard for me to access it from here," he described, "And in case you're wondering, the password's a combination of your middle name and my former owner's surname, William and Aurion."

Gil cocked an eyebrow. "My middle name I understand, but why your former owner's name?" he asked, "Aurion isn't exactly common nowadays, is it?"

"It's significant because to an extent, your name has components of both fathers of my former owner Lloyd," Noishe replied, his eyes focused on the computer as he clicked on the undercover detectives database, "Gilbert is Kratos' middle name, and your middle name William is the name of Lloyd's adoptive grandfather. His foster father is Dirk Irving, which everyone knows by now, but Dirk's father is named William. Like Dirk, he's a dwarf that specializes in crafts, and that's where Dirk and Lloyd got their skills from. It makes your full name, Gilbert William Irving, very special."

Gil chuckled. "And I assume all these stories about how the Reunification hero appealed to dwarven vows when things go bad came from these two?" he asked.

Noishe nodded, a large grin spreading across his face as he typed on his computer. "Even during those days, the dwarven vows were on their way out. But William and Dirk were two stubborn buggers, and they kept the dwarven tradition alive. William died a year or so after Dirk adopted Lloyd, so Dirk used every means necessary to teach Lloyd the dwarven vows. He even resorted to not giving Lloyd dinner if Lloyd didn't remember the vows properly. You can imagine why he became such an idealist for them."

"Do you think Kratos would be happy with the way things are in the world, even when Derris Kharlan, where he's supposed to be, is used as the source to destroy us?" Gil asked, "I assume he'll try to take action against these extremists, wouldn't he?"

Noishe shrugged. "I haven't spoken to him for centuries, so I can't say for sure. I doubt he'll be happy with those Derris Kharlan half-elves that are planning a war against us, but at the same time, with our stability and progress, I'm sure he'll find a silver lining in that." Noishe pressed the enter key and printed the documents for Gil. Stepping away from his desk, he marched to the printer to fetch the files, leaving Gil by himself.

As he waited for Noishe to return, a very disturbing development was happening back at the platform. While everyone thought it had been disabled, and police were busy taking care of their injured, the original beam of mana actually did reach the comet. The last actions by Gil and Presea, particularly the shooting of Forcystus, were seen perfectly by those on Derris Kharlan, and the leader was none too satisfied with their betrayal. Immediately, she sent a series of fighters down to the planet.

The warriors with white, feathery wings and strange looking armour materialized from the platform and appeared before the police, firing off a series of mana beams and blowing them back. The lead angel glanced around to see some police cars that already left, and beckoned his team to chase. "I'm sure the traitors are with them, so follow them at all costs. Pronyma has her set of punishments ready for them once we bring them in," he commanded, "Look for a short pink-haired woman or a tall man on crutches."

* * *

Noishe organized the files one last time before returning to his unit. Lloyd had been sitting in the waiting room, patiently as ever as the former Protozoan prepared everything that brought his father back into the force. Noishe was about to tell Lloyd the good news when the secretary interrupted him. "Phone call from the military," she stated.

Noishe gave Lloyd a helpless look as he grabbed the phone. To his surprise, it was the voice of Sheena, the summoning expert calling from the site of the Mana Tree. "I got some really strange developments here," she reported, "The Mana Tree is supposed to be destroyed, but yet we're getting increasing sources of mana from the ground. It's not the unstable kind where it's random fluctuation, but a steady stream that increases at a constant rate. The military experts are saying there may be yet another summon spirit hiding here, and suggested I call you to get some advice. Can you help us?"

Noishe racked his brain, trying to remember the events. "The original summoner had all the spirits, and then summoned Martel to make the Derris Kharlan connection. She gets sacrificed, and the summoner asked the spirits to guard the Mana Tree, and sent the most powerful one to protect the roots to ensure its survival. I got it!" he recalled, "That mana source is from Origin, who's been asked by your namesake to make sure the Mana Tree survives any threat. If the tree was to be damaged in any way, shape, or form, Origin would begin gathering mana to create a new seed of some sort. But based on the instability of the world, I've always doubted that this could be done in time."

"So what do you mean, is there another summon spirit that I have to deal with?" Sheena demanded, "How could we be missing one, especially the most important one?"

"Origin has always been hard to find, but I just never figured that he'd still be trying to keep the world together even when we're falling apart this quickly. Summon him and use all the mana possible, including your summon spirits, to restore the seed as completely as possible. We can still save the world that way," Noishe explained.

"Where am I going to get all that mana? I'm not a mage!" Sheena responded.

Just then, Noishe's eye caught Lloyd still seated there, which reminded him of the abilities Lloyd's friends gained during their stay as refugees in Tethe'alla. "Genis and Raine are mana users, maybe they can help," Noishe answered, "Contact them and…"

His conversation was interrupted by a loud explosion from his office. The blast rocked the entire unit, so much that even Lloyd and the secretary were thrown to the ground. Noishe tried to stay on his feet, but amidst the chaos, he could see several beings with wings float into his office and grabbed Gil. "Angels," he murmured. Putting the phone down, he charged forward with his gun and began firing.

The front two angels were hit as they tried to drag Gil out, but as Noishe stepped forward, the wounded angels swung their staffs at the police captain, beating him back and causing him to trip over Gil's abandoned crutches. As Noishe struggled to maintain balance and firing away, another two angels appeared and grabbed Gil. The leader of the group shot another mana blast into the office before leaving, mumbling something inaudible. From the mess, Noishe could hear the words "Derris Kharlan" being uttered.

Lloyd managed to crawl into the office just in time to see Gil screaming for help and Noishe blasting the two angels with another shot. He then stumbled to whatever was left of his window and emptied his gun, hoping to hit the angels flying away. Lloyd went to the hole on the wall as well, trying to get a glimpse. "Dad!" he yelled.

But it was no good, as the angels had carried Gil off into the night. Still stunned by the attack, Lloyd turned to Noishe and asked, "Just what in the world are those guys?"

Noishe panted heavily, his hand still shaking after all the shooting. "They're angels," he replied, "In the Reunification they're half-elves with enhanced abilities given by an Exsphere. I never thought they existed anymore. But apparently, there's more to Cruxis than that meets the eye, especially coming from Derris Kharlan."

Lloyd's eyes grew to the size of billiard balls. "Angels? From Derris Kharlan?" he sputtered, "They just took my dad up to the comet? That's impossible!"

Noishe climbed back through the rubble, over the dead bodies of the angels, Gil's crutches, and out of his office. "We don't have a choice, Lloyd," he responded, "We have to act. Call up your friends. We require all the help we can get right now!"

* * *

Just to set the record straight, ancient Lloyd's adoptive grandfather, AKA Dirk Irving's father, is named William Irving. Kratos' full name is "Kratos Gilbert Aurion" and Gil's full name is "Gilbert William Irving". And as for whether the two counterparts will actually meet...read and find out!


	35. Origin and the Eternal Sword

**I.K.A. Valian**, **Mandrakefunnyjuice**, and **Poet Bucky** were the reviewers, and we're about to wrap up this final part of our story. And in this chapter, I'm going to pull a final twist, one that I've been leading everyone on all this time. I've told everyone that the Four Seraphim will not be involved, but it just so happens that I managed to include one of them here, and it's probably the one that everyone likes the most. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Kratos Aurion will make his debut.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

Lloyd was in Gil's Audi V8, speeding down the road they took earlier to the platform on the field, all the while repeating the same message again and again in the same phone call. "No, you guys should stay here in Iselia, and go to the platform with me," Lloyd explained to Frank, "I called Genis and Raine, and they've decided to go to Sheena. They'll take care of everything regarding the tree from there."

"How can we help you out? Colette's still not a hundred percent, and if Lynn goes with Genis and Raine, then…" Frank stuttered, still alarmed at the revelations. Lloyd had revealed the events of the past day or so to him, and true to the Brunel fashion, Frank did not take it lightly. He fretted over almost every possible consequence, which made Lloyd wonder whether the archaeologist understood anything at all.

Lloyd sighed, switching the cell phone from his left ear to his right. "Mrs. Sage won't be going with Genis and Raine to Sheena. She'll be staying here in Iselia with us to keep an eye on Colette. Since they're both recovering, Captain Noishe's intentions are to have her watch Colette while we track the platform and where they took my dad."

After giving Frank some quick instructions, he hung up and pocketed his cell phone, choosing to focus on the road ahead of him. The vehicle continued through the darkness for another ten minutes or so until it reached the field. Jumping out of the Audi, he charged to the field, where he had been just hours earlier. It was the wee hours of the night, the darkness creating a cold and smothering atmosphere. Lloyd rubbed his arms, his short-sleeve T-shirt not doing too much to help him stay warm.

Lloyd stepped up to the platform and stared at the machine, with the Exspheres no longer flashing and shining. Even with it disabled by Presea earlier, Lloyd still pondered the possible destructiveness of the machine before him, as it led to the main base of the extremists: Derris Kharlan. He touched the Exsphere-covered base, his hand somewhat shielded from the cold metal by his open-fingered gloves. Noishe had told him that he had, from his history, some items that could assist them in saving not just Gil, but the entire world. What's that guy up to, Lloyd thought to himself.

The questions were soon to be answered, as Noishe came down the hill with a sports bag in his hand. Immediately, he rummaged through it and brought out two small objects. One was shaped like an Exsphere, but it was larger in size, and Lloyd could have sworn that the light reflected from it was different as well. "This is no ordinary Exsphere. It used to belong to my former owner, Lloyd Irving," Noishe described, "Your namesake had a very special Exsphere that evolved somehow, and gained the ability to absorb the powers of other Exspheres. That made him a more powerful fighter than anyone else."

"Wait, did you say my namesake, as in the Reunification hero?" Lloyd asked, "It must be a really famous artefact then. You better not let Raine get her hands on that."

Noishe smirked. "I'm surprised you managed to keep your sense of humour even in the face of danger. But yes, my famous owner did once have this in his possession, but the stories behind it were far from positive. It was at its strongest during the civil wars, when those extremists who used his dwarven vows to gain personal power fought alongside him, and nearly soiled his legacy. Believe it or not, one of the Four Seraphim, a half-elf named Yuan, was defeated in this civil war. He was guarding the Great Tree at the time, but took off to help end the violence. He ended up losing to Lloyd, and Lloyd's Exsphere absorbed his. Yuan was lucky to escape with his life, although he didn't live much longer afterwards."

Lloyd was silent, mulling over the power Noishe had in his hands. He heard from the times that he stayed awake in history class that the Four Seraphim were all formidable fighters, each with physical strength and mana abilities. To have his namesake defeat one, that was truly an amazing feat. Yet, the most sobering part was not the power his ancient counterpart had; rather, it was the objective behind the fight: ancient Lloyd fought with a bunch of extremists bent on taking over the world and making it under their own ideas all under a fake support for his dwarven vows. "It goes to show how dangerous extremism can be, I guess," Lloyd murmured, imagining the events in his mind.

Suddenly, his eyes focused on something else that was of interest. It looked like an Exsphere, but had an irregular shape and strange colour. "What's that?" Lloyd asked, pointing to the object, "Is it an Exsphere of a different type?"

Noishe picked up the object and put it into Lloyd's hand. "This is Aionis Ore. It enables those who are not half-elves to wield the ultimate weapon: the Eternal Sword," he explained, "It was first wielded by Mithos, the leader of the original team that ended the Kharlan War. He had it in his possession for millennia, where he used it to split the world in two, and controlled mana flow to his liking. Your namesake, with help from his real and adoptive fathers, created this to help him wield the sword. He then used it to put the world back together. Unfortunately, the Eternal Sword was also involved in the bloody civil wars later on, where Lloyd used it as his main weapon against his enemies."

Lloyd rolled the object around in the gloved palm of his hand. "So why are you giving it to me? We don't have the sword around anyway, so it's useless to keep it for the time being," Lloyd replied, still nervous about the object's bloody history.

Noishe packed up his bag one last time. Lloyd could not see very clearly, but it seemed like there were firearms of some sort in the bag. "The Eternal Sword is still part of today's life. When we finally convinced Lloyd to give up his madness, he gave up both his titles and his weapons, and retired to a life of solitude. The condition was Dirk would keep the Aionis Ore, while the Eternal Sword was returned to the summon spirit Origin. When Dirk died, the ore became in my possession, and when Lloyd was on his deathbed he requested to me that the Eternal Sword should only be summoned again at troubled times. I had it with me throughout, and I figured that this is finally the time to reuse it."

Lloyd looked at Noishe, the silhouette of the former Protozoan moving towards the platform as he prepared, Lloyd figured, something drastic. Lloyd still couldn't believe the historically significant objects that were in Noishe's possession the entire time. And now, it seemed like the police captain planned to have Lloyd carry out his former owner's legacy. "His former owner, meaning my namesake," Lloyd said to himself, "It's now in my hands to help save the world, and even my dad."

At this time, Lloyd and Noishe heard some shuffling from the hills behind them. They turned just in time to see the Brunels along with Lynn make their way down to the field. Lloyd immediately charged forward to the blonde teen, formerly his friend but now his girlfriend, and the two embraced each other. "Colette, are you alright?" Lloyd asked.

Colette nodded. "I heard about you helping your dad stop Cruxis, and now he's been taken onto the comet. Lloyd, I promise you, I'm going to do everything I can to help you. We're going to stop them once and for all, and we're going to do it together."

Lloyd nodded determinedly. Turning to Colette's parents, he asked them if they brought what was needed. When they pulled out a series of shovels and picks, Lloyd turned to Noishe, who gave the final instructions for them to dig a hole near the platform. "We want it at least deep enough to plant the seed of the Mana Tree," Noishe explained, "If Derris Kharlan is going to disrupt any of the world's mana, it's going to come from right here. So for the new tree, if we can get it, it should be here to serve as a stabilizer."

Frank and Lloyd nodded as they, along with Noishe, attacked the ground with the shovels and picks. They kept at it throughout the night, occasionally switching with Phoebe, who was the fourth healthy body around and could contribute. During the dig, Lloyd would receive several phone calls from Raine, who updated the group of her process to the remnants of the Mana Tree to help Sheena with Origin, with the most recent one informing him that she was nearly at the tree, and that both Mark and Ricardo would be going to Iselia to give whatever assistance possible. "We require all the help we can get," Lloyd informed Raine, "So the sooner they can get here, the better."

As Lloyd wiped away his sweat, he glanced upward at the sky. The bright shine of the comet was right above them, and although they could not see it, it was inching ever closer to the planet. "We can't fail, or that's it for the world," Lloyd muttered, "Dad, hang on up there, alright? We're going to come and get you."

* * *

But Lloyd's words were of no use to Gil, who was receiving the beating of a lifetime on Derris Kharlan. Not even in his days with Magnius had such cruelty been heaped upon him. The first few hits by the angel warriors completely destroyed his cast, making the already immobile undercover police officer even more immobile. Then the front few angels took turned swinging their staffs at Gil's broken leg, causing the fracture to worsen. Each sickening crack from the staffs slamming into bone echoed throughout the chamber, with Gil crying out in pain at each shot. Straining to sit up properly, he stared at whatever was left of his legs, and was not surprised if it was broken altogether.

But the cruelty did not end there, as the lead angel ordered his troops to send weak mana spells at Gil, further weakening him. For the next few minutes, Gil felt a variety of mana, ranging from fire, to ice, to lightning course through his body. "No one can betray Cruxis and escape punishment," the leader spat in an acid tone.

Gil glanced up again, blood oozing out various parts of his body, not to mention immense pain throbbing from his legs. His eyes were so blurry that he could not see who was where anymore. Even then, he tried looking around for any route to escape, but his luck seemed to be out as he was surrounded by angels in all directions. "Escape is futile, inferior being," the leader exclaimed, "With our leader Pronyma at the helm, all efforts to stop us are fruitless. Once we've taken over the world, we're coming back to kill you."

As if right on cue, a female half-elf approached the group. Even with Gil's blurred vision, he could feel a strange aura of evil around her. It was almost as if a door was left open in Flanoir, and the winter weather was blowing in. The half-elf had dark hair, dark eyes, and strangely enough, dark lips. The angels backed off like the tide going out from the beach, and the presumed Cruxis leader approached. "You were accepted by my best associate Forcystus, and you ended up betraying him? You may be one of us, but humans can't ever be trusted, and you're going to receive your punishment," she snarled.

Gil's response was not what Pronyma expected, as even in his weak state, Gil did not back down. "The only people to be receiving punishment are you," he retorted, blood still dripping from his face, "You destroy the world's mana, wreck its stability, and think you can take it over? Even if I don't stop you, you can't move forward either."

That drove Pronyma into a rage. Charging up a dark sphere in her hand, she threw it at Gil, catching the undercover police officer right in the chest. That sent him flying across the room, slamming back first into the wall. Gil crumbled to the floor, unconscious and unmoving. "We'll deal with him later on. Right now we need to deal with infiltrating the planet. Lock him up!" Pronyma ordered, coldly turning away. Two angels flew to Gil and hauled him off, roughly throwing him into a cell before heading off to their mission.

Just as there was complete silence, the prisoner in the cell adjacent to Gil's went up to the bars. "Hey, you alright?" he asked. Gil did not stir, which caused the prisoner to feel for a pulse. Reaching across the bars, he managed to grab Gil's wrist and pressed on it. Luckily, there was still pounding from the arteries, but it was so weak that immediate medical attention would be required. The prisoner turned back, got into a fighting stance and charged up some surrounding mana. "Healing Wind!" he shouted.

Just then, a green aura spread through Gil's cell, surrounding the lifeless body and engulfing the wounds. Cuts were healed and bruises faded, and even the bent legs were straightened out somewhat. As the light dissipated, Gil began to stir. He turned around to get a good look at the adjacent cell, only to see a silhouette standing tall and erect, staring over him. "You," Gil stuttered, "you just cast that mana spell, didn't you?"

The figure nodded and replied in a deep voice. "You were injured badly when the angels threw you in here, so I had to use the healing spell if I were to keep you alive." He crouched down to Gil's level, and then continued, "I can tell from your mana structure that you're not a half-elf, meaning you can't possibly be from the comet. Since you were probably captured by Cruxis, I'm guessing they must be near the planet by now."

Gil shook his head, confused at the events. "You said you can tell that I'm not a half-elf, and you can also tell how far Derris Kharlan is to the planet," he went over the details slowly, "So you're against these guys from destroying the planet? Is that why they imprisoned you? I thought all half-elves up here are bent on this madness."

"Two corrections," the figure responded in a somewhat condescending tone, "First, half-elves opposing this madness since the comet was re-colonized were killed off, meaning anybody left out there is among the radicals. Second, despite my abilities to use mana spells, I'm not a half-elf. In fact, I'm a human, just like you."

Gil thought about it for a few minutes. How could a human be on Derris Kharlan? Kratos Aurion was the last one there, and he had been around for millennia. Unless he had an Exsphere, which Noishe told him could artificially enhance one's longevity. The person standing before him was a human, yet he could control mana, meaning he must have an Exsphere on him. Kratos Aurion also had an Exsphere, so was it possible? Gil stared up one more time, and could make out from the silhouette a sword belt of sorts. "You're Kratos Aurion, aren't you? You're Captain Noishe's friend?" he asked.

The figure moved closer to Gil, revealing red-brown hair, spiked to a fashion eerily similar to Lloyd's. The dark purple clothes were reminiscent of a time long before Gil's, and the determined eyes seemed like they could see right through him. "Noishe, that's one name I haven't heard in centuries," the man reminisced.

* * *

"We're at the tree right now, and we're meeting up with Sheena," Raine spoke on her phone with Lloyd. After several conversations throughout the night, it was obvious to Raine that this would be their hardest test, with the fate of the entire world on the line. "I assure you, Lloyd, we're going to face this challenge head-on, and we will win. We've got experience on our side now, and everything's going to work out."

As she continued speaking to Lloyd, Genis was helping Sheena set up the mana detectors. Indeed, true to Sheena's words, the mana levels had steadily increased through the night, and were still going up as they spoke. "You got any idea how we're going to deal with Origin?" Genis asked nervously as he put the charts away.

Sheena returned the nervous glance. "Origin was, at least according to historical documents, sealed away for the longest time under Kratos Aurion, someone that your friend Captain Noishe knew well. We spoke with Captain Noishe earlier, and he told us that Lloyd Irving from the Reunification was asked to give up his swords and return them to Origin after the civil wars. So I assume if we get Origin to cooperate, then we may just get something on that sword, although I'm not sure how it'll help us."

Just then, Raine pocketed her phone and approached them. "Captain Noishe told me that when Origin was first released, they had to break Origin's seal. As he recalled it, the summoner back then, Sheena's namesake, sealed Origin within whatever was left of the seed, while the rest of the summon spirits were assigned as guardian roles of the tree after Martel was sacrificed. So if we break the roots or stumps somewhat, there should be a reaction from Origin. Let's get started," she decided.

The three immediately began tapping and hacking at the stump, trying to get it to open up. Sheena summoned Gnome to help them pry open the ground, while Genis used a fire ball spell to burn away at some of the rotting wood. The summoner, the half-elves and the servant of mother earth kept at it for a few more minutes when mana dissipated from the slightly-opened tree stump. The bright specks streamed steadily skyward, like butterflies emerging from their chrysalides, a sight that had Sheena and the Sage siblings in awe. Only a sharp clearing of the throat by Gnome did they return to their work.

They would continue at the stump, swinging a few more times at it when it cracked open like a coconut. The three inched back for safety as the mana shot up from the opening like a geyser. A large being then materialized before them, he had a stern face, four arms, and a strange genie-like tail. Around him were colours of every type of mana, symbolizing the completeness of the world. One look at the being and the three knew who they were dealing with. "Origin," they said in unison.

The large humanoid glared down as Sheena approached. "This is for everyone out there, thanks for believing in me. I won't let you down," she muttered. Looking at Origin, she explained the world's state, "The state of the world is precarious right now. The mana has been destabilized by a group of extremists operating out of Derris Kharlan. We want you to remake the seed of the Mana Tree and stabilize the world again."

Origin crossed his arms and stared at Sheena expressionlessly. "Once again, the inhabitants of this world entered a conflict, and once again, I am summoned to save it. You have abused my powers again and again, and I am truly tired of your problems."

"That's not true. The issues are relevant to us because in the past, some people chose to give up the development of our world," Sheena insisted, "They took the easy way out and went to Derris Kharlan, while most of us stayed and fought the battles. Surely you can put that into consideration, right?"

Raine then moved forward and had her say. "I agree with Sheena. Throughout our journey, we saw humans, elves, half-elves, dwarves, and even the legendary Protozoan take efforts to safeguard the world. We may be far from perfect, but I sure feel society has progressed a long way since the days of fear and racism," she added.

Lastly, even Genis stepped up to confront the king of all summon spirits. "I may still be young, but you think about it. Haven't there always been those who strive to make the world better? My namesake, the mage from the Reunification, was around my age when he took up the cause. He was among the most influential people to continue the push for equality, even when his comrade was corrupted by radicals," Genis described, "If we ordinary people are all doing our part, then why can't a powerful being like you?"

Origin continued his cold stare, but instead of shirking, all three stood up straight and looked him right back in the eye. With the world at stake, they were not willing to let one stubborn summon spirit slow them down. Finally Origin yielded to their demands, but on one condition. "Since you've decided to save the world, then I should only give you the test that I gave your predecessors. I want you to show me your powers."

Now it was the Sages' turn to look confused, as they glanced at Sheena. She was the one who summoned all those spirits, so what solution did she have? "You do know what to do here, don't you?" Genis asked timidly.

Sheena glanced back, also looking uneasy. "All the other summon spirits worked easily because we were in an emergency: Undine and Sylph during a Cruxis attack, and Efreet after Raine pushed her agenda. The Tethe'alla spirits were convinced to help after their opposites from Sylvarant were summoned, except for Shadow, who was soft-spoken but easily convinced. I haven't had any research done on Origin before, so I'm not sure."

"Um, guys, have you forgotten about me already?" the group looked up to see Gnome talking to them, "We summon spirits are capable of battle too, so don't hesitate in asking us to help you out, okay?" He looked at Sheena eagerly, waiting for her to respond.

* * *

As they remained trapped in their cells, Kratos told Gil his story from three hundred years ago, when he put himself in charge of sending Derris Kharlan into orbit, making sure no one could manipulate the mana available for personal gain. There was a promise that the next time he returned, his son Lloyd, the leader of the Reunification group, would hand him all the Exspheres of the world so he could discard them into space, never to be used by people to harm each other again.

"But the promise was not fulfilled though, because Lloyd would then become involved in the civil wars. His own agenda was muddied and his ideals were used by extremists to achieve their own goals," Gil recalled, "So that's why, in an attempt to ease the conflict, you let Derris Kharlan be used as a refuge for displaced people, right?"

Kratos nodded. "To an extent, I should have seen it coming. I had a lot of faith in my son, truly believing that he would be different than the idealist before him, Mithos," he explained, "But just like Mithos, he made the same mistake, and allowed external or narrower interests get in the way of his goal. And once again, I cannot get my eternal rest by removing the Exsphere and return to a normal life. I kept it on and artificially prolonged my life even more just to save these people."

Gil turned to face Kratos again, twisting his body around so he could get a good look at the Seraphim's face. Kratos' healing allowed Gil to be at least a bit more mobile, although Gil figured he probably still needs a cast and crutches once he returned to his planet. "I don't want to be the one that pries into your personal business, but what was it that you saw in these two, Mithos and Lloyd, that drove you to fight for their causes? I understand that they're both all-or-nothing idealists, but don't they see the danger in their beliefs, and how easily it is that they can promote more extremism, or even new hate?"

Kratos gave Gil an expression that bordered between anger and guilt. From years of reading faces, Gil figured that this was a topic Kratos hated to touch on, mainly due to his own denial. "Normally, I would reply with a curt 'I don't feel the need to answer that question.' But this time, after seeing my own son nearly soiled his legacy, it's time that I face my own mistakes as well. I valued both Mithos and Lloyd because at the time, I truly felt they were the ones who can change the world. I had no idea what they would become. Mithos did stop the war, only by tearing the world apart. Lloyd put it back together, and gave me most, but not all, the Exspheres he collected, only to let extremists destroy his beliefs. Both cases were very heartbreaking for me."

Gil looked at the ground, mulling over Kratos' sad tale. "Everything we do has consequences. Some are good, some are bad, and some don't last for many lifetimes," Gil lamented, "And only to have those you rescued from the civil wars turn on you and throw you here is especially tragic. I truly feel your pain," he sympathized with the swordsman.

"It actually wasn't that bad, at least until fifty years ago," Kratos replied, "That's when there was a movement to regain contact with the planet. Some radicals managed to contact those Cruxis people you spoke of, and that's when things took a turn for the worse. I was aware of their attempts to attack, and did everything in my power to get support from any non-radicals to stop the movement. But one by one they picked us off and only kept me alive because of the respect I normally commanded as Seraphim, even within half-elf circles. So when the time came for them to invade the planet, they locked me up and created mana-based shields around the area."

"That means we can't get out of this room by blasting it with mana, and controls for the shield are just outside of our cells," Gil mulled it over, weighing the options, "But the cells themselves aren't mana-based, so can't we blast our way out of this?" he asked, "I have an idea how we can destroy the controls to our cells without creating instability, but it will require your help. It'll take efforts from both of us to make it work."

"So how do you plan to get out of here?" Kratos asked, cocking an eyebrow in curiosity. He had never heard of any modern day people who could combine mana with a modern technological weapon, let alone a human, so he was interested in this new plan.

Whipping out a gun, Gil quickly explained his plan. "You probably haven't seen a gun before, but it basically works by shooting a projectile known as a bullet out at very high speeds. I'm going to shoot the bullet at the cell controls, but you cast a spell that would slow down the bullet so that when it hits the control, it'll merely hit the button down to release us, without destroying the controls. Do you understand?" he asked.

Kratos crossed his arms and closed his eyes, trying to absorb all the information. It was true that he had never seen a gun before, but the theory and idea behind it seemed familiar enough. In fact, the entire notion of the Mana Cannon was exactly like that. "So I'm assuming you'll be asking for a wind spell then," he responded, "Alright, let's try it."

Gil glanced around the room to locate the cell controls while Kratos took a deep breath and energized the mana around them. As Kratos charged up the wind mana, Gil knelt down and faced the far wall, where the control panel was located. Signalling to the Seraphim, Gil had Kratos stand in line with him as they faced the panel, with Gil slowly aiming the gun at the button. "When I give the word, you release the spell, while I fire the gun at the same time," Gil instructed, "The wind will slow the bullet, but should keep its altitude high enough to reach the panel. You ready?" he asked.

Kratos nodded, with a determined look on his face. "This is for the entire world's safety," Gil said. There was silence between them as they concentrated on the panel. Cold sweat appeared on both men's foreheads as they prepared to fire. Using his heartbeat as a counter, Gil counted down the shot, "Three…two…one…now!"

A green aura emitted from Kratos as he released the wind spell. Gil also pulled the trigger, letting the bullet propel itself out of the barrel. Wind soon met metal as the mana engulfed the bullet, creating more drag and slowing it down. Gil and Kratos both looked on anxiously as the green projectile hurled itself to the wall.

* * *

"What do you mean Sheena fainted?" Lloyd demanded, "Sheena's got to be here to summon Origin, and that means we need her around," Lloyd and company were frustrated by the lack of progress on Raine's side. In an unexpected move, Origin insisted that they battle him to prove their worth, and Sheena took it to mean all summon spirits be on their side. The battle was still deadlocked as of they spoke, but it did seem like Origin was weakening, as the sounds of war raged through the cell phone.

"It was actually Gnome's idea," Raine replied, "He told us that he's willing to help, so Sheena just summoned everything else. Little did we know that summoning too many spirits simultaneously would disrupt the balance of mana in the body, hence she fainted. It's pretty similar to why Genis was fainting so often before he learned his skills with Ricardo, so I just tried to rebalance her mana just to make her better."

Just then, Genis decided to cast a series of his own spells to assist the summon spirits. He had stayed relatively inactive for the time being. The spirits all told Genis that it was their fight, as it was up to them to convince their leader to save the world again. But knowing that time was of the essence, the young half-elf decided to stray into the fray and tackle Origin. "Everyone, I can help you," he shouted to the summon spirits, "I can cast a series of spells that complement your mana, and you combine it to make it more powerful. Together, we can finish this in one shot."

All the summon spirits paused and stared at Genis, who already got into battle pose and began drawing mana from everywhere. He had only learned spells relating to natural elements, such as fire, water, wind, ice, earth, and electricity, so only six summon spirits would actually benefit from it. Nonetheless, they chose to accept the youngster's help, slowly observing the mana while Luna and Shadow held Origin at bay.

Soon, six different-coloured auras surrounded Genis as he gathered up enough mana to shoot his spells. "Genis, are you sure you know what you're doing?" Raine asked nervously as the summon spirit belong to each respective element lined up behind Genis and incorporated his mana with their own. Shadow and Luna had Origin pinned, meaning there was no escape for him. Just as Sheena stirred next to Raine, the six spirits engulfed the mana and, from Genis' source, shot it straight towards Origin in one blast.

The entire island rocked as the leader of the summon spirits absorbed the blow, making the area light up the night sky. Origin collapsed onto the ground as Shadow and Luna observed him while the other six relaxed as the mana left them completely. From beneath the spirits, Genis staggered a couple of steps, before collapsing to the ground entirely, much to Raine's horror. As she charged towards her brother to check on his health, Origin admitted defeat. "Summoner Sheena, indeed your team is very powerful. I do deem you all worthy of saving the world, so I shall lend my power to you."

"Raine, what's happening back there? What's that explosion all about?" Lloyd continued railing on the phone. From the fuzzy sounds, he could hear the swishing and twirling of mana, most likely due to Origin's defeat. He could also hear from the back that Origin was addressing Sheena, mentioning something about the Eternal Sword.

"Nothing, everything's fine, we got Origin now," Raine responded, still breathing heavily, "Genis just let loose a huge blast of mana and now he's exhausted. Sheena just made the pact with Origin and is getting briefed on the Eternal Sword. He said something about only half-elves can use it, but the Reunification hero Lloyd, your namesake, used something called the Aionis Ore to get around that problem."

Lloyd nodded, realizing what it could possibly mean. With Raine expensing her mana to heal Genis and Sheena, both of whom were exhausted from the experience, there were not too many people left to use the sword. From Noishe earlier, he found out the sword must be used to cut open the new seed for the new Mana Tree. With him being the only healthy body, it might very well be him that would take the last step. "Alright, you just take care of everything on your side," Lloyd replied, "By the way, how are you transporting the seed here? It won't be effective going by plane, would it?"

After a few seconds of inaudible talk, Raine answered, "Origin said he'll take it himself, bringing it straight to you guys. Apparently, he seems to be aware of the active connection between Derris Kharlan and the planet."

And as they prepared the final details, Noishe prepared to infiltrate the comet. Taking out his former owner's evolved Exsphere, he prepared to load more mana into the platform and create the beam that would allow him to enter Derris Kharlan. Taking a cue from Lloyd when he ended the call, Noishe blasted the mana into the skies, creating that strange beacon that lit up the surrounding area. Stepping onto the platform, Noishe stared at Lloyd one last time and assured him, "Don't worry, I'll get your father back."

The group looked on as the mana engulfed the police captain and shot him into the comet. They could only hope and keep faith in him as they prepared for supposedly the make-or-break phase of their goal, with the entire world's safety in their hands.

* * *

Just want to clear up a couple of things in this chapter:

1.) Kratos is WAY too prone to escaping his problems by saying: "I don't feel the need to tell you." What I've done here is show his human/sensitive side, which allows him to be less cold and harsh.  
2.) The line Gil used on Kratos: "Everything we do has consequences. Some are good, some are bad, and some don't last for many lifetimes" came from Avatar: the Last Airbender, courtesy of Avatar Kyoshi.

Thanks for all your support. The story is ending soon, so just hang in there for a little while longer. See you later!


	36. Invasion and Infiltration

**Mandrakefunnyjuice**,** Poet Bucky**, and **I.K.A. Valian** provided reviews for the last chapter. All three reviewers made some very good points regarding the content from last chapter (Mandrake and Bucky on Kratos' time on Derris Kharlan, I.K.A. on the Aionis Ore), and I'm going to address your points in this chapter. I didn't want to do it last time because I didn't think it'd feel right then.

I will include some Tales of Symphonia: Knights of Ratatosk references in this chapter. They're only based on the scenes from the trailer I saw, so I'm not sure if I'll elaborate on them later on. All I can say is that regardless of the game, my story will still remain AU, meaning Tales of Phantasia (and likely some parts of Knights of Ratatosk) won't be involved at all. So please keep this in mind and don't ask me about TOP again. I'm not interested in hearing it.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

Noishe was surrounded by flashing lights as he hurtled towards Derris Kharlan. He pondered over what the area would be like after three hundred years away from it, and tried his best to remember the routes he took. "Gil's probably been thrown into a prisoner hold," he mumbled, "And there are at least three areas like that. I don't know how much time I'll have going to all three places, given those angels are likely patrolling around."

And that was another issue that worried him: the presence of angel patrols. Given that they had magi-technology and other powerful weapons, Noishe couldn't be sure if a conventional gun or rifle would be enough to take them down. "They may be half-elves with Exspheres, but they should still be vulnerable, I think," he convinced himself.

But nonetheless, the police captain pulled his gun from the bag and loaded it to the top. He also checked his sniper rifle, figuring that he might have to put it to use if the route was surrounded by angels, and he might need to snipe them off. He made sure both weapons were operational before looking up one last time, the giant ball of mana getting larger and larger in his sights. Taking a deep breath, he prepared for the docking, the mana surrounding him slowly dissipated as he materialized on a platform at the centre of the comet. Immediately, he whipped out his gun and prepared to shoot the angels.

To his surprise, there was nobody around him. The area was silent as he looked around the chamber. There was nothing surrounding the platform, so Noishe figured that he would be spotted easily, but shockingly, nobody was anywhere near him, let alone approach him. "Odd, that's not what I would expect," he commented. Stepping off the platform, he surveyed the area around him, his hand still tightly wrapped around the gun.

He managed to scout out the entire area, and indeed there was nobody around him at all. The place was so quiet that his footsteps, even when he treaded gently, echoed throughout the chamber. Realizing that he was safe for the moment, he slung his bag over his shoulder and moved away into one of the passageways to the side. Last time he was here, he was in the Arshis form, and his former owner Lloyd scurried along the comet to find all of his comrades. "He also gave them the drive to fight with his idealism, only to remove them from his team when they disagreed with him," he thought back, "Maybe his legacy may not have been soiled had he not done that, but who knows?"

As he took the long march to where he remembered the prisoners hold was, he could hear some sounds in the distance. Pressing himself closer to the walls, he could see two angels marching towards his direction. Holding his breath, Noishe pressed his ear along the railing, trying to hear what they were saying. Although muffled, he could make out something about getting everyone into the platform area to be beamed down to the planet. "We're taking it over, so we want everyone ready to go," one angel ordered.

Noishe realized the plan. The angels planned to beam down with the mana of Derris Kharlan as the controlling force against the unstable mana of the planet. "I've got to get Gil out of here before disaster strikes, and we can only hope Lloyd has the seed for the new Mana Tree prepared," Noishe muttered. He then leaped across the railing and went down the passage, continuing his journey to the prisoners hold.

Unfortunately, that last jump made just a little too much sound than anticipated, as the angels turned around to see the police captain leap off. Giving chase, they raced down the passage, gaining ground on Noishe, who surely wished he was still in his Arshis or Aeros form, where his speed would be greatly increased from what he had to work with right now. Hustling to the opening, Noishe realized that the angels were too close for comfort, and the only way to save himself was to surprise attack them.

Noishe turned around completely and whipped out his gun. The move shocked the angels, as they were not expecting Noishe to stand and fight. But the element of surprise worked to Noishe's advantage as he fired away, clipping the wings of both warriors. As the angels collapsed onto the ground, Noishe climbed back over and punched them both in the face. "Now talk, where's the human? Where did you put Gil?" he demanded.

Just then, two other angels came through the opening he was headed towards, and upon seeing Noishe holding their comrades hostage, they in turn whipped out their staffs and fired mana at the police captain. Thanks in part to Noishe's large ears, he heard them approach before they could fire, and dodged just in time. Landing onto the ground, he turned onto his back and fired at their direction. The strange battle between ancient mana spells and modern day ammunition raged in the passageway, and Noishe figured it would not be too surprising if he would be outnumbered soon. I'm in trouble, he thought.

But as Noishe tried to renew his strategy, the two angels with staffs were thrown to the ground. From the shadows, Noishe could see two people standing over them. One held a gun over one angel, and the other had a sword above the other angel. In seconds, a shot was fired and the sword rammed down, killing the warriors. The former Protozoan continued watching anxiously as the figures approached him, the shooter with a distinct limp on the right side. The same procedure was repeated for the two angels before him, giving Noishe four dead angels thanks to the two. He slowly got to his feet, breathing out a sigh of relief as he saw the shooter's face. "Gil, you made it out safely," he stated.

"Not without the help of this guy," Gil replied, pointing at the swordsman. Noishe squinted to get a better look at the mysterious person, but Gil chose to reveal his identity once and for all. "Captain Noishe, meet one of your oldest friends, one that hasn't seen you in two hundred years. This is Kratos Aurion, your former owner from the Kharlan War."

Noishe took a good look and indeed, the man had those details that were so vivid to him. Two hundred years since he had seen that face, and nothing had changed. Kratos still had fiery-red hair, emotionless expression, and the erect posture alluding to years of fighting as a hardened mercenary. Seeing his old friend before him, Noishe nearly broke down in tears. "Kratos, it's been a while, isn't it?" he whispered in shock.

Kratos tried to stay emotionless, but Gil could see that he was having difficulty. "All those years of taking care of the world, and now you go soft? I'm disappointed," he replied. Hearing it, Noishe returned to doing something he had always done in his Arshis days and embraced his friend in a tight hug, much to Kratos' dismay.

* * *

Noishe's flight to the comet was not unnoticed as Zelos Wilder awoke from his hotel room in Iselia's downtown by the flash of a brilliant light. Stepping up to the window, he witnessed the mana beam firing into the air and realized that something was happening. Immediately, he began making phone calls to the Tethe'alla military, trying to get any information for the phenomenon. "You don't just shoot a light into the skies and claim there's nothing to it, you know," he berated the military staff answering his call.

Finally, Tiga managed to identify the situation. "That beam is directed into outer space, most likely at Derris Kharlan," Tiga explained to Zelos, "The half-elves are likely ready for their invasion. I'm getting the Sylvarant military, since they seemed to be in Iselia. Stay where you are and give them whatever assistance necessary," Tiga ordered.

Zelos could only look on in frustration as he realized that things were no longer in his hands. Sure he was happy that he managed to help Gil cure Presea, and had Gil and Presea work together to conquer Cruxis. But the last thing he wanted was to sit passively while the world was being destroyed. "I got to do something," he muttered. Glancing sideways, he realized that Regal and Altessa were still in Iselia, and it gave him an idea.

Zelos immediately grabbed a robe to cover his body, as he was only clad in a pair of boxer briefs. Moving out of his room, he banged on Altessa's door, waking the dwarf up. As Altessa stood at his door glaring at the redhead, Zelos moved to the last room to get the CEO of the Lezareno Company. "We got work to do," Zelos announced to the two, "There may be an invasion by Derris Kharlan and Tiga wants me to help the military with public safety. I want us to have a role in this as well, so let's get changed, and let's go. Especially you, Regal, I don't want to be seen with someone wearing that."

Regal cocked an eyebrow. "What's wrong with bunny rabbits?" he asked, eyeing his own pyjamas as Altessa and Zelos tried hard to stifle their laughter.

But as the group in Iselia downtown was approaching this with a relaxed mood, those at the outskirts were having no such attitude. Lloyd rolled the Aionis Ore around his palm as he pondered the responsibility before him. This was the ore that enabled any human to control the Eternal Sword, the same weapon used by his namesake to cut open the seed to the Mana Tree. But as he glanced at the ore, something did not feel right. "Uh, guys, I hate to be the clueless one, but isn't there something that went with this so I can actually equip it? I don't think I can control a sword with this in my pocket," he stated.

Beside him, Colette seemed extremely proud. "Wow Lloyd, you're observant. It isn't anything we've touched on in class at all and you managed to figure it out!"

Lloyd gave Colette a goofy grin. "Hey, give me some credit here. It's not like I'm totally clueless, at least not all of the time," he replied, his voice brimming with sarcasm, "But really, how do you equip this ore without anything to work with?" he asked.

It was Frank who explained. Putting the final touches on his dig, He leaned on his shovel and told Lloyd about a little-known story regarding the Aionis Ore. "One rumour I've heard, and none of this is verified, is that it used to be part of a whole package called the 'Ring of the Pact'. That was what your namesake wore to wield the Eternal Sword in the Reunification and after. But when he was asked to relinquish it, his former group wanted to make sure the sword couldn't be used for evil ever again. They actually had Maxwell, the summon spirit of birth and ruler of all matter, use mana to remove Aionis from the ring. That's why Arthur only gave you the ore, but the ring is likely with Origin. Again, I have no confirmation of this, so I can't say if it's true."

"Wasn't there another guy who clashed with Lloyd somewhat in the few years directly after the Reunification?" Lynn asked, "Things weren't exactly hunky dory during the first days, so I doubt his 'corruption' by extremists were a sudden phenomenon."

"Actually, there was a group that went against him for a while," Frank recalled, "I don't know them quite well either, since I haven't studied them too much. Raine and I are mostly focused on the on mana use in the period of time between the Reunification and the civil wars. But if I recall, his name seems to be…"

* * *

"…Emil Castagnier, from Palmacosta, I believe," Noishe explained as they maneuvered through the tricky steps of Derris Kharlan. Kratos was wondering about the world from after the Reunification but before his return during the civil war, and Noishe chose to fill him in. "Emil was a supposed survivor of one of the first incidents that told me the world wasn't as perfect as your son imagined. It was the Palmacosta Purge of Blood by the Church of Martel, which was struggling to maintain legitimacy at the time. I wasn't around the group too much, despite Lloyd taking me on that Exsphere collecting journey, but I've heard that Lloyd was somehow tied to this event. I didn't get too much of a chance to investigate, since he deserted us for a while, and ended up going solo."

"He did rejoin the group, right?" Kratos inquired, "It's probably in his nature to go at it alone, but I assume the group was none too happy with it, especially when his name was tied to such a horrific event? And what did Emil have to say about that?"

Noishe nodded. "And that's when the chain of events happened that continued to drive him down the path of extremism. Emil did meet up with Lloyd, and the two sides did not hit it off well. It didn't help that Ratatosk, the spirit of the old Mana Tree, the one before the Yggdrasil tree, was still messing around. It took a lot out of everyone to deal with that problem, and in between there are still the people's attitudes to change. Put it together, and it's a disaster waiting to happen, and most of which isn't even Lloyd's fault. So when you said you were saddened by his legacy being soiled, I know how you feel."

"But even with this spirit Ratatosk settled, what guarantee will we have that this new tree we're trying to plant right now won't give us the same problem?" Gil asked, wincing as he climbed the stairs. Kratos told Noishe that the healing spell merely made the bones stronger, but did not heal the break completely. In hours, Gil would have no more strength left in his leg, and would require medical attention for any chance to make a full recovery. Nonetheless, it did not break the police officer's spirits, or his sense of questioning. "What if whatever spirit the Yggdrasil tree possessed didn't go to rest and started destabilizing the world again? Then it's like the vicious cycle goes on forever."

"No worries," Noishe replied, "When the Yggdrasil tree was called upon to make the connection to Derris Kharlan, the embodiment of mana and its spirit, Martel, was supposedly sacrificed. This means whatever spirit or guardian it used to have would no longer be a factor. So this new tree should get free rein over the mana of the world, bringing stability back to us once again. At least, that's what I think."

"And secondly, I have more faith in people of the world now. According to what my old friend here has said, progress has been made in great strides, and I'm willing to give the people full credit," Kratos continued, "The ending of the civil wars, the constitution, the new equality laws, all these were made after years of ordinary people demanding for and making small changes here and there. That's what made me realize how real change was made, and what's wrong with my approach all those years: we can't force others to change. Mithos tried it, and ended up creating a split world where mana was the source of contention. Lloyd was too impatient, and his ideas were misused by radicals in the civil wars. For that alone, I realized how I must change as well."

"So that's what you've been doing for the past three hundred years, right?" Gil asked as they neared the platform, "You've been doing a lot of reflecting and reviewing of your personal history, and you've come to a few conclusions, right?"

Kratos looked up with a forced smirk. "I usually only say this to Noishe, because I've always confided in him. But seeing how he trusts you, I'm willing to tell you too," he responded, "When those first refugees came up here, I felt so bad for them. It especially weighed on me in the sense that it was my son's doing that caused them to be in such a situation. I never wanted to be remembered as the mercenary that aided the past idealist Mithos onto a path of disaster, so to add on the title of the father of the radical that began the civil wars truly made me aware. I spent a lot of time with the refugees and assured them Lloyd's group was doing everything they can to fight discrimination. So to see them become radicalized before me, you can understand what went through my mind."

Just as they reached the platform room, they were met with a scene they never would have expected. While Kratos and Noishe helped Gil struggle out of the passage, Pronyma armed the angel warriors and took them to the platform, as if they were ready for infiltrating the planet. "Not good," Noishe muttered as they crouched near a corner, "With them around, we can't get back to the planet, and there's no telling if the others brought Origin and the new seed to the location yet."

Suddenly, the flashing and beeping that Gil saw on the platform from the planet occurred again here, as the platform was being activated. It only signalled one thing: the invasion was on. "They're invading the planet. We have to stall for time," he decided, turning to Noishe and Kratos, who only nodded in agreement.

Noishe moved forward to check on their surroundings, and saw a high ledge just on the other side. He pointed it out to Kratos, who began discussing a way leading to the back without crossing the centre. Gil looked on as the angel warriors operated a bunch of controls foreign to him, and a host of other warriors preparing their weapons. Gil did not even have to see the weapons to know that they were of massive mana capacity, and were a threat to any of the planet's inhabitants, elves and half-elves included.

Just then, Kratos returned to Gil's side while Noishe rifled through his bag. "It seems like we want you to be a long-range shooter, or what Noishe called 'sniper' for us. He wants you to go to the other side and start shooting down fighters while we ambush them from this side," Kratos explained, "I know your leg will start weakening soon, so I'll fly you over there, if necessary. Our success is in your hands, Gil."

Tossing his bag to the side, Noishe came up with a fully loaded sniping rifle that he put together from his bag. "It's one of those new guns that the police force had ordered for the SWAT team, one that can be taken apart and stored easily. I borrowed one from the department before I came here. It works the same way as a regular sniping rifle, but remember that in your isolated spot, you're not going to get too many chances to reload," Noishe described, "Use it wisely and carefully, alright?"

Gil nodded, taking the rifle in his hands. A lot was at stake here, and he was without a doubt taking on a very large role. "I'll do it," Gil replied, determined, "Not just for our mission, but for my son, my friends, and everyone on the planet."

Kratos then picked Gil up by the arms and pulled him into the air. Using his powerful angel wings, the Seraphim propelled them across the snaking and winding hallways and through the darkened stairway. Gil felt like he was on the roller coaster ride of a lifetime, as Kratos sped through the passages without even saying a word. Even then, Gil also realized what the angel wings meant to Kratos, as they were the symbols of his past sins. The longer Kratos kept the Exsphere on, the longer he would have the wings, and that meant the list of his sins could only grow. I can't imagine anyone being able to hold their sins inside for that long, Gil thought, it mustn't be a pleasant feeling.

Kratos flew up and final flight of stairs, finally stopping at the opening leading to the balcony Noishe pointed out earlier. Kratos gently put Gil down, and made sure he could stand properly before leaving. Gil limped out to the balcony and had the bird's eye view of the situation below. That was when he could see even more of the powerful weapons used, and that the world was truly doomed if he did not act. "Well, here we go."

Just as he prepared to set up, another series of flashes and beeps caught Gil's attention. Looking out from the balcony, he could see the platform flashing the same way it did when he was taken into Derris Kharlan. Not only were the sides flashing, like it was a few minutes ago, but the ground of the platform itself, where the angels must step onto to be transported, had its lights blink as well. That meant it was completely operational and ready to send the angel warriors down to the planet.

Gil cursed, realizing that the Cruxis angels caught them completely off guard. With Kratos still making his way back, and the angels armed and ready to step on, they had to make a move. Gil peered over the railing, making eye contact with Noishe and signalled to the former Protozoan that he was prepared to fire. Noishe waved his arms telling Gil to ease up, as he was still unprepared to make the charge with Kratos. But it was to no avail, as Gil whipped the rifle over the rail and pointed it into the open. His finger found itself around the trigger as the first group of angels went onto the platform.

* * *

There was another bright flash at the platform as Zelos, Regal and Altessa brought the Sylvarant troops temporarily stationed at Iselia to the field. "We may be too late. The invasion's starting right now, and the mana of the world's still unstable," Regal gasped.

And as they neared the field, they could make out from the darkness a series of angels materializing from the platform. Some had long staffs in their hands, while others had canes or swords of some sort. They glared menacingly at a small group of people on the field, standing defenseless right before them. One person seemed defiant though, as he stood in the frontlines, protecting a teenage girl, two adults, and an elderly lady behind him. "Lloyd," Regal whispered, "That's Lloyd down there. We can't let him get hurt!"

"You can't stop us, humans," the lead angel threatened the spiky-haired teen, "We are superior half-elves who, with the help of some old Exspheres, gained the powers of the angels. Resisting us is futile. Besides, we captured your father in Derris Kharlan, so even if you defeat us, you still won't get him back."

That statement brought Lloyd into a seething rage. "You touch a hair on my dad's head, and I swear I'll…" he yelled, ready to fight.

But before anything could be done, one of the warriors fired a blast of mana at Lloyd, hitting the ground just before him and sending him reeling back. The warrior whipped his staff back and crouched in a fighter's stance. "You could make life easier for yourselves by surrendering and pledging allegiance to us," he announced to the group, "Then maybe our leader Pronyma may be lenient and give you a lesser punishment."

Lloyd grimaced as he tried to get back on his feet. He looked around and saw the Brunels and Lynn, all quite vulnerable at the moment. There was truly nothing they could do to prevent the invasion. He gave Colette a pleading look as she gave him a hand. We can't possibly give in right now, he thought, staring at Colette as if communicating with her telepathically, not when Genis and Raine are this close to coming back.

Lloyd was about to retort when a shot came out of nowhere and blasted the angel that fired mana at him. It hit the warrior straight in the chest, making him drop straight to the ground, stone cold dead. Lloyd turned to see Regal and two people he had not seen before, and behind them were a squadron of military personnel. "We're not letting you get away with this attack," Regal called from the top of the hill, "We're fighting to the end."

The angel leader was unimpressed, as he barked orders out to his troops. The military was in battle formation, ready to fight back. The leader again glanced at them with an arrogant expression. "We still have more reinforcements on Derris Kharlan, so you're clearly outnumbered here," he waved his hand at the still operational platform.

Just then, another blast of mana appeared from nowhere and blew the angels at the back away. Their numbers dwindled as another few warriors were hit, courtesy of an old elf coming up the other hill. "You forgot about us?" Ricardo sneered at the invaders.

And coming up from behind Ricardo was another familiar face: Mark Owen. "This is our planet, and we're protecting it at all costs. You gave up on our world, and plan to invade us once you got the strength. Well, we're not going to stand aside and let you invade. All the races on this world will stand together as one and say to you, 'we will not go quietly into the night!' So bring it on!" Mark challenged.

Hearing the support from everyone, Lloyd stepped forward and confronted the angel leader again. "We're all willing to make sacrifices to ensure the world is safe, especially from racist, extremist invaders like you. So if a fight you're asking for, then it's a fight you'll get," he growled, getting into a battle stance himself. Although he had no practice with martial arts for years, he was still willing to fight to the end.

However, the angel leader remained unimpressed. Surely a bunch of inferior beings could not bring down a superior fighting team like the Derris Kharlan angels, could they? Taking the challenge, he barked orders out to his team, and they prepared the onslaught.

The next few seconds seemed to go in slow motion, as the angels slowly flew forward, their staffs, swords, and spears at the ready. The back line of defense had put up some sort of mana shield that would limit the damage from modern day weapons. The covering slowly moved up like a dome until a thin, translucent layer covered them all. The leader raised his staff again, and from the muffled sound, Lloyd could hear a call for battle. The angel warriors still seemed to move in slow motion, getting closer and larger until the moment they were within striking distance. Then, the battle began.

* * *

Just as the battle on the planet raged, so did the one on Derris Kharlan. Gil's first snipe was originally intended for the angel leader, the same one that gave him a beating earlier. But, like any rookie, he missed terribly and ended up hitting a technician that was operating the platform. That shot set off a frenzy of activity, in which Pronyma tried to halt the movement of angels onto the planet to flush out the shooter. Amidst the confusion between the leader and her troops, Noishe took the chance to attack as well, barging into the centre and fired away at the angel battalion.

Noishe's first shots were at the next group of warriors preparing to board onto the platform. They were caught completely off guard as Noishe charged out with a gun in each hand, spraying bullets all over the place. The frontlines took the brunt of the hits as Pronyma tried to get her team to regroup. Seeing the front group go down, Noishe seized the opportunity and slid behind another large machine, shooting the remaining angels from a safe area. "Gil, cover me, will you?" he shouted from the ground.

From the balcony, Gil pushed his head above the railing again. He did admit that his last shot was perhaps premature, as he was worried about being spotted and how to use the sniper rifle properly at the same time. But this time, he was determined to get it right. "Let's see, we have Noishe behind the machine, the formation behind Pronyma is regrouping, and nobody near the platform. I say shoot the technicians first and halt the process of operating the platform," he decided. Aiming more carefully, he got his targets right and let loose two shots. From the aiming scope on the rifle, Gil saw two direct hits.

Noishe could feel the hits from his position. After all, he was just adjacent to the main controls, and could see the angels hitting the ground. "Well, at least their attention won't be on the controls anymore," he muttered. Sticking out again, he could see their formation completely reorganized, and were ready to attack again. He decided to fire at the formation to loosen them up, all the while glancing at the doorway and hoping Kratos would make his way in here. "Where are you, man?" he asked through gritted teeth.

Just then, the angel warriors each sent a fire spell towards him. A flurry of fire balls propelled themselves to Noishe, blasting the machines he was hiding behind. It blew the former Protozoan back, and if it weren't for the smoke covering him, he was sure to be blasted. Nonetheless, Noishe kept shooting away as he tried to crawl to safety. "Don't even worry about the machines," he heard Pronyma order, "As long as the main controls that worked the platform still functions, blast everything to bits!"

Noishe ducked behind another machine, trying to catch his breath as he reloaded his gun. His hands shook and trembled in fear as he checked his cartridge. The angels had their eyes set on him, and were about to propel another series of fireballs at him. From the distance, Noishe could hear the popping of the sniper rifle, as Gil tried to take down as many of them as possible. He quickly peeked over the machine and could see some of the angels in the back going down, but realized that he was doomed either way. "They'll notice Gil and fly up to him," Noishe murmured, "And with a sniper rifle, Gil would be in no position to defend himself. Boy, Kratos, where are you?"

The angels were about to fire away, sending another machine, and perhaps Noishe, to their dooms when a series of sharp rocks shot up from the ground. The angels, even with their hovering abilities, were hit by the sharp pillars and lost their aim. The fire balls went in all directions, but none hit their target. Noishe glanced up to see his former owner standing there, just finished casting the ground spell. "Forgot about me?" he sneered.

Pronyma glanced up and anger was plastered across her face. "Kratos Aurion, we thought you were going to be our leader and representative during our struggle. Not only did you refuse to endorse us, you escaped the hold and now turned against us? You may have been a Seraphim and commanded respect, but here you're no better than what you originally are: a pathetic, lying, backstabbing human! Attack!" she ordered.

But the order was easier said than done, as the Cruxis angels were attacked from three sides. While the frontlines charged at Kratos, Noishe began firing away with his two reloaded guns. The angels on the sides were taking a beating, decreasing their number of troops even more. And from the balcony, Gil finally got used to using the sniper rifle, and attacked those at the back. Pretty soon, Cruxis was at a disadvantage. "Can't you fools do anything right?" Pronyma berated her team. Although there were still a fair amount of healthy bodies, the three-pronged attack was much more successful than she had anticipated. "Regroup again. Frontlines go for Kratos, and the rest split into two, one focusing on the shooter and the other on the sniper!" she commanded.

* * *

The Sages and Sheena could finally see Iselia from their plane, but an all-out battle was certainly not what they expected. "What's going on? Why's there a fight?" Genis asked. The sun was beginning to rise, and some light was cast onto the field, where the brawl was on. From their angle, it seemed like some combatants had wings.

Sheena and Raine also peered out, and saw the battle before them. Knowing that there had been rumors of Gil being captured by angel-like beings, they figured that most likely this was an invasion, courtesy of Derris Kharlan. "We have to help them," Raine decided, "Can we get the plane to land onto the field?" she asked Sheena.

Sheena nodded. Getting out of her seat, she approached the cockpit and banged on the door. Genis and Raine could only look on at what seemed to be a heated argument between the pilot and Sheena. "If we don't get down there and help, those people will not survive," Sheena ranted, "You guys are professional pilots and this is a military plane. Don't tell me you guys can't even make a simple landing like that."

After a few more heated words, the Mizuho summoner seemed to have gotten her way on this. As she returned to her seat, she asked Raine and Genis to strap on tight as they prepared to make this bumpy landing. "What about Origin?" Raine asked, reaching for her seatbelt, "We still can't plant the seed without him here." Both siblings glanced at Sheena nervously as they felt the airplane descend hard.

"Origin should be on his way," Sheena assured Raine, "But right now, as you said, we have to help out those guys. With an angel army and mana-based weapons, who knows how long these guys can last? I just hope with my summoning, your healing and Genis' elementary spells, we can put up a fight until he gets here."

Just as they approached the area, the sounds of the jet were not unnoticed by the angels, who definitely saw the landing as an attempt by the planet's denizens to get help from reinforcements. The leader halted his troops and announced to the fighters. "We'll give you another chance to surrender. Cease your fighting and join us, or I'll blow that craft out of the sky," he pointed his staff upward at the circling aircraft.

Lloyd and the others glanced up, and some of them froze immediately. Knowing that some civilians could potentially be killed, they did not know whether continuing was worth the risk. Nonetheless, they could not just give up, not when Origin was on his way to save everyone. Seeing inaction, the leader fired off a warning shot. "You're all asking for it, and now your fellow inhabitants are going to get it," he stated as the mana blast shot straight into the air, and right at one of the engines of that plane.

* * *

One of the references in the chapter goes out to **Poet Bucky**, who was describing Regal's sleepwear in her story "Family Roles". And for the rest of you guys, I have one chapter left before the story officially concludes. I'll write an epilogue after that, so hang tough!


	37. The Final Departure

Last chapter of the fic, guys. I want to thank **Mandrakefunnyjuice **and **I.K.A. Valian **for the reviews, and you guys are going to see me tie up some final loose ends regarding the Eternal Sword, the Ring of the Pact, and Kratos' history.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

"Easy does it, easy does it, easy does it," Sheena and the Sages could hear the pilots reassure themselves from the cockpit. The large explosion rocked the aircraft, blowing off the right engine and part of the wing. The hydraulics was heard to have been destroyed, and landing the plane would become very difficult. Sheena, Raine and Genis gripped their seats tightly as their plane banked dangerously to the right, threatening to tip over. It truly weighed on their minds that they might not live to see the new world.

The pilots continued to fight for control as they tried to land the plane, only to have it not respond and move up and down instead. It climbed up at a dangerous rate, only to freefall and lowered its altitude to the point where it seemed like it was falling out of the sky. Swaying over the field like a drunken bird, the plane dipped dangerously close to the ground. "Ease it out, just ease it out," Sheena murmured, her eyes clamped shut.

From the ground, everyone could see the aircraft banking around and dropping even closer to the ground. Both military and civilian fighters realized that it was the plane carrying their allies, and they paused to see the military plane veer off behind the hills, disappearing in the darkness. Then, silence descended onto the field, with not a word spoken as the safety of those on board was the only thing on everybody's minds.

Then, without any warning, Lloyd broke the silence. Glaring at the angel warrior he fought earlier, he burst out at him in anger. "You monsters! You killed our friends and our summoner!" he roared, "And for that, you're not getting away with this!" he charged the angel and tackled him to the ground, barraging him with a series of punches. That snapped everyone out of the dazes as they unleashed their anger on the angelic invaders from Derris Kharlan, further attacking the warriors, even when most civilian fighters had no weapons and must fight with fists and feet. Within seconds, the brawl was on again.

But the adrenaline rush was not enough for the planet's inhabitants to beat back their aggressors, as the Derris Kharlan troops soon regained the upper hand. Realizing the danger, the military insisted that the civilians, particularly the elderly and the injured, be taken to safety while they held them off. Understanding the move, Colette grabbed Lynn and slowly moved away from the battlefield. The two could hear and feel the sizzle of bullets flying above them as they headed for safety.

The position between Lloyd and the angel warrior he fought also took a reversal. Lloyd was no longer tackling the angel and pounding him; rather, the angel used power from his wings and propelled Lloyd off him. Now Lloyd was on his back, and the angel had the spear pointed right in Lloyd's face. "Prepare to meet your doom, pesky human," he snarled, aiming the blade right at Lloyd's sternum. Even in darkness, Lloyd could see the deadly eyes of the warrior, glaring straight through Lloyd, similar to what was about to happen to Lloyd's ribcage. Then, in slow motion, the spear thrust downward.

But the hit never came, as Lloyd's hands were close enough to grip the spearhead just before it penetrated through his chest. The angel twisted and turned the spear, trying to impale Lloyd, but to no avail. From the ground, Lloyd was the one with the advantage, as his lower centre of gravity made it easy for him to resist the push.

Lloyd took this chance to ease the danger off of his body. Slowly shifting to the side, he eased the spear away from his chest. Using the angel's own strength against him, Lloyd pointed the spear to the ground and released it. The spear lodged itself into the dirt beside him, with the back end clanging against the warrior's armour. As he struggled to regain position, Lloyd swung his leg around and kicked him right out of the sky, hitting the winged fighter right on the side. The angel collapsed and crumpled to the ground.

As the angel fell, Lloyd rose up and plucked the spear from the ground. Now their positions were reversed, as Lloyd was prepared to deal the final blow to the invader. And unlike his opponent, Lloyd was not about to make the same mistake. "You've terrorized us for long enough," Lloyd said in a murderous tone, "Now it's time to end this."

The angel only had time to look up one last time to see Lloyd aim his own spear at his chest. Knowing that there would not be enough time to set up a mana shield, he realized that his fate was sealed. He tried to open his lips one last time, wanting to utter "Glory to the new-age of half-elves" but Lloyd had already run the spear through him. "Save it," Lloyd muttered, "You've had your new world before you gave it up."

Pulling the spear back, he let the angel carcass fall to the floor. Although he was well aware that he just took a life, Lloyd realized that at this stage, there was no turning back. "The ideal way to go is to give everyone their chances, but right now, with the lives of everyone in the world at stake, there's not much more I can do except that," he stated to himself. Now, armed with a spear, he had a potential weapon in his hands, and he could continue to help in the battle against the half-elf invaders.

* * *

The gunfight raged on as Gil, Kratos, and Noishe battled the angelic warriors on Derris Kharlan. Kratos' appearance onto the battlegrounds clearly shifted the fight in Gil and Noishe's favour, as his swordsmanship and mana use counterbalanced the quantity of angel warriors. The clanging of Kratos' sword with the angels' spears and staffs was a direct contrast to the blasts from Gil and Noishe, neither of whom had any power or use of mana, and hence were limited to using firearms. "We're still very limited in ammo and manpower here," Noishe called amidst gunfire, "You got any ideas, Kratos?"

Kratos parried and jousted with several angels around him. It was amazing just to see one human battle against several Exsphere-powered angels, but knowing his history, Noishe was not surprised that Kratos was holding his own. "Just keep chipping away at their troops," Kratos replied as he ran another warrior through, "What else can you do?"

While up on the balcony, Gil could not hear his friend and the Seraphim through the sounds of battle. Instead, he was completely focused on sniping as many of the angels as possible. He heard Pronyma send a series of troops after him, so he wanted to use his strategic height advantage to deal with as many of them as possible. "I can't let them get close to me. I don't have a short-range gun anymore," he murmured, thinking about the gun he used to break out of jail. Unfortunately, he ran out of bullets when he shot those two angels that cornered Noishe earlier, leaving the police officer very vulnerable.

Gil let loose another two shots from the sniper rifle at the angels flying up to him. He was holding his ground against the Cruxis troops with the slower shooting gun, as the angels could not break through to the balcony. They tried to gain altitude, only to be shot down by Gil. It didn't matter to Gil where he hit them: head, chest, wings, as long as it made them fall out of the sky, it was working. But soon, his luck was about to run out. As Gil prepared to fire another shot, he heard a sickening click. He was out of bullets.

The click did not go unnoticed by the angel warriors, who promptly dusted themselves off and flew up to the balcony again. They were prepared to give Gil an aerial assault that was sure to destroy him. Seeing the enemy approaching, Gil struggled to pull out the bullets to load the sniper rifle. Just as he put the first bullets into the rifle, the first angel flew upward and showed his menacing face, his head had appearing into view from behind the railing on the balcony. Gil looked up just in time to see a shot of mana going straight for his head, the ball getting bigger and bigger as it hurtled itself towards him.

Gil launched himself sideways, hugging the floor as the mana blast went over his head. The sniper rifle clanged a couple of times, inching closer to the edge and threatened to fall off. He swung sideways to see two angels to each side of the one that launched the mana blast at him, and both had a spear in hand. The spears shot out simultaneously, like two rockets blasting off as they headed towards Gil, ready to gore him through. Thinking fast, Gil curled his head down, tucking his chin onto his chest while reaching down with his hands. He held one spear with his palms, while catching the other with his teeth. A strange tug-of-war ended up took place as Gil struggled with the angels for position. Gil's forehead glistening with perspiration as the centre angel, not to be outdone, prepared another mana blast for the immobilized human. Seeing the charging blast, Gil thought fast for a way out. This is going to kill my fractured leg, he thought to himself. But given the positions the angels were in, it might just be the perfect distraction.

He curled up his right leg and whipped it back, turning himself onto his left side. Then, in one smooth motion, he propelled himself towards the edge, pushing the spear he held in his hands towards the mana blast. Just as he did that, he released the spear in his teeth and snapped his head back, letting the object and the angel sail over him and into the room behind him. The shoved spear and the warrior holding it slammed the centre angel right in the chest, causing him to lose all concentration on the mana and hurled it in all directions. In all the commotion, Gil hit the ground unharmed.

Shaking his head a couple of times, Gil lunged for the sniper rifle again. The sharp pain from his right leg returned, as the mana healing spell was wearing off, and the extra kick earlier did not help it in being healed. Grabbing the rifle from falling off the edge, he loaded a few more bullets into it and turned around completely. Facing the angels on the edge earlier, he aimed a shot at each one and fired away. Both were hit in the forehead and crumpled to the floor below, giving Gil some breathing room as he could help his friends again. "Captain Noishe, Kratos, you guys okay?" he yelled.

Noishe and Kratos turned to look, catching Gil climbing back out into view. "You better watch those guys flying up to you," Noishe shouted, "Once they get too close, the sniper rifle loses its effectiveness, so hit them while you still have the time."

Gil was about to reply when Kratos pointed to his direction. "Look out behind you!" he warned. Gil turned around to see the angel he sent hurtling into the room punch him right across the face. Gil lost his balance for a moment, dropping the sniper rifle by mistake. As he tried to regain his bearings, the angel punched him again, sending Gil crashing into the railing, the only thing preventing him from going overboard.

This time, the angel was not intent on making the same mistake again. As he neared Gil, he put his hands around the police officer's neck and pushed him downward. Gil had a dizzying feeling as he glanced down at the ground below. He was in a similar situation yesterday, when Chief Marshall sent him out of a building via the window cleaning platform. His mind thought back to the last time he saw Marshall, at the stairs leading from the roof to the twenty-second floor. Gil remembered Marshall telling him to leave while he held off the Cruxis members, only to lose his own life in the process when Cruxis beat him up and threw him off the roof.

Now, in a strange irony, Gil was about to suffer the same fate as Marshall and be thrown off a high perch. The angel warrior clearly had the advantage as Gil tried to kick free. His right leg had already lost a significant amount of strength from the last move, and with the mana dissipating away from the fracture, soon he would be immobile again. Gil pushed on the angel's chest with one hand while trying to pry the stranglehold on his collar open with the other, but to no avail. "Time to end this," the angel snarled.

But before anything happened, the angel's expression suddenly changed to shock, as if he had just been attacked. He released his stranglehold and felt his left shoulder, and indeed the armour was punctured with a bullet wound. Gil got off the railing and, seeing the advantage shifting, shoved the angel away from him. Picking up the sniper rifle, he aimed it at the warrior and fired away. This one hit the angel right in the chest, the bullet slicing through the armour and into the vital organs. The angel collapsed onto the ground, no more life coming from him. Gil took a deep breath and sighed in relief.

Looking over the rail again, he saw Noishe give him a thumbs-up before returning to shooting the angels around him. "I can't let you die after all that you've done for the police as a mole, so I figured I might as well return the favour by saving you," he paused to reload the gun, slapping in his final cartridge as he stared back up, "Besides, we can't let the Marshall incident repeat itself, now can we?" he continued, winking at Gil.

Gil smiled. How Noishe hit that one, I'll never know, he thought. Whipping the rifle over the railing, he prepared to shoot the angels out of the air again.

* * *

The battle on the planet raged into a stalemate, as neither side was able to inflict enough damage onto the other to gain the upper hand. With both the angelic army and the Sylvarant militaries tiring in the fight, it would not be long before someone lost the battle. "We can't give in, we have to defend our homes, regardless of our races," Zelos said.

Lloyd was at it with another angel, holding his own with a spear. Wielding it in a way that seemed more appropriate for a staff, Lloyd swung away at his opponent, and actually landed a few hits of his own. He was still boiling with anger over the supposed shooting down of the military plane, as Genis, Raine, and Sheena were still to be seen. With every blow onto the warrior, it seemed more and more like Lloyd was taking out his anger on the Derris Kharlan army. "You made it so that my friends can't land alive," Lloyd seethed, "And now I'll make sure you don't leave this planet alive." And flipping the spear around, he ran the angel through on the spot.

Just then, another blast of mana came from the opposite direction, slamming into the back end of the formation and throwing a few warriors to the ground. Everyone paused to look and lo and behold, two silver-haired half-elves, a female summoner, and a very tired-looking flight crew stood there surveying the scene. "Did you really think we'd die that easily?" Genis taunted the Cruxis troops, mana still leaking from his hands, "We made an emergency landing, climbed out of a burning plane with our mana and summon spirits intact, and I still managed to kick your butt. Pretty good, huh?"

Lloyd smiled in relief, knowing that his friends were safe. "What are you waiting for? Come back us up," he called, "We have no one to use mana spells against them, and we could really use a healer to recover our energies here."

In the blink of an eye, the Sages were off to battle. Genis found Ricardo in the scrum and together, they casted simultaneous spells, increasing the power and blasted the Cruxis angels back. Raine raced around the group and reenergized the Sylvarant military, making them even more set for battle. Sheena came in as well, but she did not summon any spirits. Realizing that most of her energy should be directed at Origin, who had yet to show up, she still did her best to disarm the angels. Being from Mizuho, her training taught her to be sleek and stealthy, making it harder for the angels to catch her while she disarmed them. Slowly but surely, the tide was turning in the planet's favour. "Lloyd, where did Colette go?" Sheena asked amidst the fight.

"She took off with Mrs. Sage, since the military told all those who were injured to break for safety while they fought Cruxis," Lloyd explained as he parried with another angel, his third of the night, "They're still recovering so it's best they don't fight for now."

"We'll have to get them to come back, you know," Sheena replied as she arm twisted her Cruxis warrior, "Originally we wanted two people to wield the two parts of the Eternal Sword. The sword itself has two blades, so we were hoping you or one of the other guys can use it. It has to be used to cut open the seed to the new Mana Tree, so we want at least another healthy body around." With a smooth push and leg whip, she shoved the angel warrior face first into the ground and pulled his staff away from him.

Lloyd immediately whipped out his cell phone and dialled for his friend. Still focused on the battle before him, Lloyd managed to type in the correct number to her and held the phone up. "Colette, pick up will you?" he grimaced as he dodged a hit.

Things were not going as well with Colette and Lynn either, as an angel warrior spotted them sneak off and gave chase. All the two had to fend off the attacker was an old tree branch they snapped off from the shrubs beside them. Colette reached for her phone while trying to balance the oversized branch in her hand. "Hello, Lloyd? We're kind of busy right now, so you're going to have to make it quick."

"Colette, we want you and Mrs. Sage to come back here. We want another person to stick around to use the Eternal Sword," Lloyd responded, the sounds of battle echoing through the call. Colette wasn't sure whether the noise was from Lloyd's battle or the fight she and Lynn were in with the angel, but the ferocity of it was truly undeniable.

"We're not too far off, so we should make it back in time," Colette replied, still using the branch like a sword. Beside her, Lynn's branch snapped as she tried to block a shot, the mana blast disintegrating the wood. Lynn was thrown to the ground as the angel hovered above her, ready to make the final hit when Colette threw her tree branch at the angel, distracting him for a moment. "Has Origin even arrived yet? How can we use the sword without him? And why choose me?" she continued asking.

Lloyd parried with his warrior as he continued explaining to his girlfriend, "We all have stuff on our plates right now, and since your parents are occupied with the other adults, we're the only two available. Besides, we can't possibly let Mrs. Sage handle all, given her age and slow recovery rate, so it's only right that we take the duties."

Colette hustled away as the angel tailed her, slowly closing the gap. Flipping the phone into her other hand, she glanced over her shoulder to ensure that Lynn was still alright. "I'll see what I can do," she replied, moving her legs and picking up the pace, "By the way, any sign of your dad yet? Or is Captain Noishe still trying to rescue him?"

"Colette, I'm really happy that you're caring about me, as should any girlfriend do to their boyfriend, but right now isn't really the right time to ask," Lloyd said, "I'm in the middle of a battle right now, so why don't you come back first and then we talked?"

Colette was about to respond when she tripped over a rock, sending her tumbling to the ground. Her head flew near to the exposed rocky surface before her, nearing ramming into it and giving her a concussion. Luckily for her, she landed just inches away from it, avoiding any serious head damage. "Eek!" she screamed as she hit the ground, scrapping both knees and an elbow. The cell phone also dropped out of her hands and rolled onto the rocky ground nearby with a loud clang.

Unfortunately for the angel warrior tailing her, he was about to dive at Colette when she fell. That meant he flew head first into the exposed rock, flogging his noggin with a loud thud. The blonde girl was about to get up when the warrior dropped to the ground beside her, all consciousness lost. Colette had pain all over her body with the fall, searing through her elbows and legs as she tended to her cuts. Just then, Lynn hobbled up to them and upon seeing the fainted angel, picked up a medium-sized rock and slammed it into his head one last time. The helmet cracked like an egg as he was put out for good. "Are you alright, Colette?" the elderly woman asked, extending her hand.

Colette gripped her hand as Lynn helped her to her feet. While she got up, she heard the exact same message being yelled through her cell phone. Picking up the dark object, she brought it to her face. "We're fine, Lloyd," she replied, "We'll be just fine."

Just then, a large figure blazed across the sky towards them. Colette and Lynn had to shade their eyes, even though the sun was still mainly below horizon as the object flew closer. The two saw from the figure's outline that it had four arms, all holding a round, lily flower-like object. Without even needing confirmation, Colette and Lynn realized who the person was. "That must be Origin," they decided.

They slowly made their way back to the battlefield, keeping an eye on the leader of summon spirits as he landed before them. "Summoner Sheena, come forth. I have with me the seed to the new Mana Tree," he boomed over the crowd.

Instantly, the angels turned their attacks on the summon spirit, with the success of their invasion hinged on the planting of the new seed. Origin, impervious to the attack, balanced the seed onto his upper arms while crossing his lower arms in meditation. Lynn and Colette watched in stunned silence as Sheena evacuated the crowd behind her, before a Thunder Arrow attack launched from above, slamming into the Cruxis angels. Before long, the smell of burnt metal and charred bodies resonated through the air.

* * *

As the battle on the planet was ending, so was the one on Derris Kharlan. Kratos, with his superhuman strength, slayed most of the attacking angels and with Gil and Noishe using modern technology, the rest of the Cruxis military dwindled. Pronyma and a few of the commanding fighters were the only ones left, and with Kratos healing and renewing Gil and Noishe's energies, they had fresh bodies ready to finish the job.

But Pronyma was not about to give in without a fight, and sent her final troops at the swordsman and the two police officers. "They're throwing everything including the kitchen sink at us," Noishe informed Kratos as he checked his gun. His ammunition was low, which would leave him and Gil very vulnerable in the next few minutes. Realizing the stakes, he suggested to his former owner, "Let's finish the job and get us home, alright?"

Kratos nodded and signalled to Gil, who aimed his sniper rifle again. While the prospects of victory were near certain, Gil was not doing as well as his friends below. His fractured leg grew weaker by the minute, as the healing spell's effects gradually wore off on him. From Raine's explanation, mana spells healed the body by shifting the balance in one's body towards the injured area, meaning the patient could still use the broken or weakened area without further damage. However, it would require a larger amount of mana to fully heal him, which was usually only possible to humans with an Exsphere. That meant Gil could only receive small doses of healing mana at a time, and left him with a broken leg still. Now, with all the activity and fighting, the mana spell wore off quicker, leaving him the most vulnerable of the three.

Kratos led the charge as he took on two angel warriors. Being commanders of the force, they were a bigger threat to deal with, and the higher skill level was evident as the swordsman could not gain an advantage on them. Noishe got some looks on his targets, but knowing his lack of ammunition, he was not willing to shoot until he was sure his shot could count. The former Protozoan could only look on as Gil aimed his rifle from above and fired away. I've got to think of something, Noishe thought.

Just then, he turned his head to the main controls for the platform, the only one not destroyed by Pronyma in her attempts to flush Noishe out earlier. What if I used took control of the panel and distracted them, he thought. Noishe could start up the platform, opening the portal and making the angels get closer to him, which meant a better shot for Gil above. "I hate playing the role of martyr, but it's worth a shot," he decided.

Sneaking off, he crawled away from the battlegrounds and into the back wall. He passed dangerously close to Pronyma, who was casting some sort of dark spell against Kratos. Noishe glanced up just in time as two loud pops echoed through the chamber, and saw the two angels closest to Kratos hit the ground. He stared up at the balcony to see Gil cock the rifle again, signalling a successful hit. "Split up! Don't focus solely on Kratos!" Pronyma called as she released her spell on the Seraphim, "Attack the balcony too."

As Pronyma busied herself with her troops, Noishe finally made his way to the final panel. Hiding behind the large station, Noishe took a gander at the controls and tried to remember the controls his Reunification friends used in activating the platforms on the comet. Pulling a lever and pressing a couple of buttons, he made a strange whirling at the platform, as if it were drilling a hole in mid-air. Thinking he had not done it right, Noishe punched in another combination of switches. More sounds, but nothing that allowed him to see the planet. "Darn it!" he cursed, and slammed the control panel hard with his hands. The machine sputtered a few times, and suddenly coughed back to life.

But the connection opening was not unnoticed by Pronyma, who caught on to his act. "Human, you think you can escape back to your pathetic planet?" she growled, the connection with the planet now illuminating the chamber with the same bright mana lights the greeted Noishe when he first entered Derris Kharlan, "Cruxis angels, attack the human at once!" she ordered, pointing her staff at Noishe.

Seeing the angels move towards Noishe, Gil pulled the rifle in the control panel's direction. With the angel all focused on one target, it made Gil's life much easier. He aimed carefully, getting the warriors into his vision, and was about to pull the trigger when he body suddenly froze. The air around his body became pitch black, suffocating him like a large garbage bag. "Don't think I missed that," the police officer heard Pronyma snarl from below as she encased him, "Dark Sphere!" she called.

The dark covering suddenly exploded, blowing Gil backwards into the room. Sensing danger, Kratos got into another fighter stance and mumbled something under his breath. Realizing that Kratos was trying to turn the tide back in their favour, Noishe tried his best to stall for time, perhaps at the expense of his own life. "Come on, dopes," he taunted Pronyma's troops, "You want a piece of me? Come and get me!"

Gil managed to crawl back up to the balcony, his body having taken a beating. Blood oozed out of various cuts and wounds, and his energy diminished by the second. He grabbed the rifle again, and went up to the railing, just in time to see a bright light appear above Kratos. "Rest in peace, sinners," he heard Kratos say, "Judgment!"

Then, the white lights filled the chamber as a large bolt zinged from the ceiling onto the ground below. Gil ducked for cover as the area was engulfed in a bright flash, a direct contrast to what Pronyma had put him through earlier. But instead of a suffocating feeling, Gil felt warmth and rejuvenated, as if the light was welcoming him, rather than shunning, or even torturing him. By the time it dissipated, Gil managed to return to the railing, and could not believe the sight below: with the exception of Pronyma, all the Cruxis angel warriors were destroyed, their bodies nowhere to be found.

"You're the only one left," Kratos told Pronyma, "And isn't it a shame that, two hundred years ago, your family was among the refugees, and had actually gotten along quite well with me. They actually looked forward to going back to the planet, but then you had to lead that radical revolution against everyone and destroy a good group of people. It's a pity that I might have to kill you after saving your parents."

Pronyma, despite the odds, persisted in battling Kratos. But even in parrying with the Seraphim, it was very obvious who had the advantage. Kratos was in defensive mode, merely blocking or dodging the hits, while Pronyma was exhausted and merely swung at anything around her. It also gave Noishe enough time to set the platform, opening the portal even more. It was so wide that one could see down to the planet through it.

"You brought this upon yourself," Kratos continued as they fought, "You established communication with other extremists on the planet, and you asked the half-elves to set up a new Cruxis and use them to take over the world, but at what cost? You've lost each branch thanks to Gil and Noishe, you've lost respect from the world as even some half-elf habitants view you as an invader, and you're lost your sense of humanity. You've been so blinded by hate and contempt for the civil wars that you're no longer aware of the world's progress."

Pronyma's anger was stoked like a fire by Kratos' words. "Since you yourself say the two people stopping my goal is here with me, I say they should get the punishment they deserved for poisoning the minds of the great half-elf race!" she exclaimed. Stepping back from Kratos, she reached out with two hands and encased Noishe and Gil with a dark sphere each. She then brought the two struggling police officers to ground level and put them before Kratos. "Your choice, Kratos," she sneered, "One of them will die first."

Kratos felt a sense of déjà vu. It was just like when his wife was being chased by Cruxis, and his son was with him. He had to choose between protecting either his wife, meaning keeping her close-by while he fought, or his son, meaning Anna must take off and be ambushed. It was a hard choice to make, and the results still haunted him today. Anna was killed shortly after, and his son became alienated from him and radicalized as he grew up. Now, he was faced with a similar choice: his long-time friend Noishe or a brave undercover cop he sympathized with due to their similar histories. "Choose now, or they both die!" Pronyma snarled as she tightened the spheres, making both men choke.

Kratos took a long look around the area like he was trying to find advice from the air. He realized that the area behind Pronyma was in the open, which was perfect for his plan. Smiling at Pronyma, he softly replied while getting into a fighter stance, "I want both of them alive, so release them or you're going to get it."

Pronyma was enraged by the comment, hyperventilating and glaring at Kratos. "For you arrogance, your friends will pay, human!" she shouted. She turned around and threw the dark spheres over her back, the casings exploding and releasing the weakened Gil and Noishe. She was about to cast a deadlier spell, Bloody Lance, when, oblivious to her, a green aura emitted from the ground and surrounded her targets. It gave Gil and Noishe renewed energy, letting them get up in time to see Kratos release Healing Wind. Realizing the situation, they moved away just in time before Pronyma attacked.

Bloody Lance missed Gil and Noishe completely, making Pronyma even angrier. Her sole goal was now to kill the two, and she was so set on this that she didn't notice the swordsman behind her drawing his blade and approaching quickly. Indeed, before she could do another spell, Kratos ran the sword through her, ending her life completely. "This is the path you've chosen," he stated coldly, "I hope you have no regrets." With one smooth motion, he pulled his sword out, letting the Cruxis leader's body fall to the floor.

"And who will be the ones to use the Eternal Sword?" they heard from the planet below. Gil, Noishe and Kratos raced to the platform to see Lloyd and Colette step up to Origin, ready to cut the seed to plant the new Mana Tree. Kratos pulled out a ring from his pocket and explained that, with the help of Origin, they could rejoin the Aionis Ore to the ring, and reform the Ring of the Pact. Pushing Gil and Noishe to the platform, Kratos moved to the control panel, ready to send them back to the planet.

"What about you? We can't just leave you here," Noishe called to Kratos as Gil pocketed the ring, "We also require a large amount of mana to break the connection between the planet and Derris Kharlan, and kick-start the seed. I have Lloyd's Exsphere, but I can only use that for one task. Is there anything you can use up here?"

Kratos showed Noishe his own Exsphere. "I can use this to break the connection. I figured I had it on for long enough, and it's only right that I stop artificially extending my life. It's time for me to hand off the task of overseeing the world to others," he informed Noishe, shifting his head in Gil's direction, "I have faith in you two being able to handle it, so don't disappoint me when I'm gone, alright?"

Noishe looked at Kratos one last time. They had known each other for millennia, and fought with each other for the longest time. Now, Kratos could truly gain his eternal rest, and fulfill the one wish he couldn't fulfill: having his son not die before he did. "I'm going to miss you Kratos," Noishe whispered emotionally, "Take care of yourself."

Kratos glanced back at Noishe, the typical expressionless face showing some cracks. Pushing the final button, he warped Gil and Noishe away from the comet, sending them back to their planet. "Now, the final step begins," he told himself.

* * *

All that's left is the Epilogue and that's the end of the story. Thanks for all the support you guys have given me, I couldn't have done it without you. Read and review, please!


	38. Epilogue: The Return

This is it guys. The story is truly coming to an end. I want to thank everyone who reviewed this story at one point or another and supported me throughout (**Dawnstarshine, I.K.A. Valian, Fenrir of the Shadows, Gijinka Renamon, Keeper of Balance, Mandrakefunnyjuice, Poet Bucky, Cloud-Strife-Wannabe**). I couldn't have done it without your help, advice, and your undying support. You can't possibly know how much this means to me.

Likewise, 5 of these people will be making cameos in the story. I'm really grateful for all that you've done, so to reward you, you'll appear at Marshall's funeral. **I.K.A. Valian **is the bagpipe player, **Mandrakefunnyjuice** is the flag bearer, **Poet Bucky** is holding the triangular flag that was given to Marshall's family, **Gijinka Renamon **and an elf OC of **Fenrir of the Shadows** are the lead shooters in the honour guard. I hoped I got your appearances right, and I apologize for any discrepancies.

Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Martin Scorsese owns The Departed. Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak own Infernal Affairs.

* * *

Gil and Noishe hurtled down through space from Derris Kharlan, blasting back down to the planet with a ring from Kratos. They were close enough to hear Lloyd's voice, telling Origin that he had the Aionis Ore and Origin should have a ring form him to remake the Ring of the Pact. "It is true that I had a ring, and I can put the Ring of the Pact together again," Origin's voice boomed, "But with two of you, I require two rings, and none of you have an extra one that I deem acceptable for welding Aionis Ore."

Gil turned to Noishe with a quizzical expression. They had already reached the altitudes of the planet where clouds were clearing, meaning they had a clear view of the situation below, despite their height up. "You never said there were two rings," Gil questioned, "I understand two rings would be required for each wielder of the sword, but where did the other ring come from? How did Kratos get a replica in his hands and hid it for so long?"

Noishe smiled. "Kratos actually visited quite a few old friends during his first visit two hundred and fifty years ago. When he first found out about Lloyd being radicalized, he was among those most forceful in asking Lloyd to relinquish to Eternal Sword. Since the sword was in two, he had the original ring given to Origin. But he also asked Dirk, who was nearing his own end at the time, to do him one last favour and carve a perfect replicate of the original ring. This is so that only the presence of both rings could allow the new sword be used properly. It's a pretty shrewd move, considering that twin swordsmen were rare, even in ancient times."

They were near landing when they heard Colette plead their case with Origin to let them handle the swords with one ring, but to no avail. "It's part of my last pact with my last summoner, and even with a new pact and objective, I cannot just abandon that old promise, especially with the world at such a precarious state back then," he replied.

Just as that was said, the platform flashed brightly, allowing Gil and Noishe to rematerialize onto the planet. Gil tried to take a step off the platform, only to be greeted with pain and weakness, as his fractured leg finally gave way. Had it not been for Noishe, who was beside him and could break his fall, Gil would have tumbled onto the ground.

"Dad," Lloyd exclaimed, catching Gil's other side as him and Noishe eased him down from the platform. Gil had his captain and his son position himself before Origin, and pulled out a ring from his pocket. He handed it to Lloyd, who then showed it to the king of summon spirits. "Now are you satisfied?" he asked, determined.

Origin levitated both rings up to his face, examining each like a lab specimen. The group waited anxiously, hoping for a positive response as their world's mana threatened to tear their planet apart even more. The ticking seconds felt like centuries as the summon spirit observed the rings. Finally, he nodded in satisfaction, and would reform two Rings of the Pact for them. "Hand me the Aionis Ore, and I'll separate it in two," he ordered.

Lloyd lifted it in the air for Origin, who levitated it to his arms as well. Everyone watched in stunned silence as Origin manipulated the mana within the Aionis Ore. "The ore itself also holds a significant amount of mana," Noishe explained, "And when it was first made by Dirk, it took an entire day of hard work. Now, to see Origin use the mana within to reform the rings, it truly makes you appreciate the hard work put in earlier."

And, as if defying all laws of nature, the Aionis Ore was pulled into two and combined with the two rings to create two new Rings of the Pact. Origin then put them into the hands of Lloyd and Colette, who quickly slipped them on. "Now, use the Eternal Sword to break the seed for a new Mana Tree, one for the new world," he announced.

Lloyd and Colette gripped the two blades and stepped up to the seed, half-buried in the hole Frank and others had dug earlier. But instead of standing separately, Lloyd shifted the sword to his left hand and put his right hand around Colette's shoulder. He looked at her eagerly, urging her to do the same. Finally, Colette shifted herself around as she put her left arm around Lloyd, and whispered gently into his ear, "When you told me your feelings about me when I was still in monster form, I always imagined that us two will go far lengths and do great things with each other. I just can't believe it's saving the world, and we'll be here to cut the seed to the new tree together."

Lloyd beamed. "I wouldn't have it any other way, Colette," he replied, giving her a peck on the cheek. Returning to the task at hand, they swung their swords down in one smooth motion, slicing the seed at the same time. "Rise, Mana Tree!"

Instantly, branches and shoots burst from the ground, with the bright shine of mana illuminating the area. The loose, unstable mana from the world around slowly went back into the tree and into the ground again. The familiar rumbling of mana readjustment returned as the world's mana fought to regain its original formation. Even the Exspheres from the defeated Cruxis angel warriors were sucked into the tree as it sought to stabilize itself. "It requires more mana," Colette observed, "Is there enough to make it complete?"

Noishe beckoned two people to come forward to hold onto Gil. Mark and Frank moved up to balance Gil's arms on their shoulders as he stepped forward with his former owner's Exsphere in hand. "Well Lloyd, you've been through a lot in your life. You had your highest high in reunifying the world, and your lowest low when you were in battles against Emil and the church, and getting involved in the civil wars. And now, I'll finally give you your wish, and that is to truly be a part of a new world that can protect all races. Lloyd, this one's for you!" he called, and in one motion threw the Exsphere into the tree.

The absorption of the evolved Exsphere, one with the powers of ancient Lloyd, Mithos, Yuan, and others inside, gave the tree the final source of energy to complete it. One last blast of mana slammed into the ground as the branches were in full growth, reaching for the skies like welcoming a new day. The sights and colours were beyond describable words as the crowd was in silent admiration. Origin, who floated beside the tree the entire time, turned to Sheena and asked, "I assume you want us summon spirits to be the guardians of this new tree again, yes?"

Sheena nodded. Stepping forward, the Mizuho native released all eight summon spirits and gave them one final order. "I release you all from my pact, and allow you to return to your original homes. But I want you to take back the task you had before, and take good care of this tree. Don't let anyone or anything harm it again," she instructed.

The summon spirits nodded at Sheena, and floated into the air, surrounding the tree. They let in their own element of mana, as if in saluting the new tree, before they all disappeared into thin air, warping back to the places they came from. All that was left was Origin, who turned back to Lloyd and Colette. "Now, you must name this tree," he told the young couple, "Give it a name worthy of its significance."

This time, Lloyd and Colette knew exactly who to turn to. Waving at the two professors, they had Mark and Frank bring Gil forward. As he was put before Origin, he waved off Frank and Mark, opting to stand by himself. The two professors released their hold apprehensively, making sure he was balanced on his feet and before leaving. "I think there's only one person in mind in considering a name," he announced, "Many might guess who it may be, but he's no longer with us, and his name is not Anthony Marshall."

Lloyd, Colette, Noishe and others looked on eagerly as Gil continued his speech. "This person bore the burden of all the events that had happened, from four thousand years ago when the world was torn apart, throughout the Reunification, when he advised his son without him knowing of his identity, and even during the civil wars, when he was nothing more than a helpless spectator, sidelined by his presence on Derris Kharlan. True, I've only met him a few hours ago, but knowing the stories from Captain Noishe about his hardships, I've grown to appreciate all that he's done. I realized just how difficult life truly is, not just as a mole but a parent as well. If I'm even half the man he was in all that he's accomplished, I would consider myself successful."

Standing up as tall as his weakened leg would allow, he boldly stared Origin in the eye and uttered the line everyone had been waiting for. "In honour of the Seraphim of who ended the Kharlan War, the hero who aided the Reunification and the humanitarian who gave Derris Kharlan to the refugees, helping them survive even when some turned against him, I name this tree: Aurion, after Kratos Aurion!"

Origin nodded. "And so it shall be," he responded. He lifted all four arms into the air and let loose his own blast of mana before disappearing, promising the group that he would fulfill his role as a guardian as well. Everyone stood in admiration as their mission was done, and saw the mana beam from the platform flutter one last time as a rumbling sound echoed through the skies. From above, the shadows pulled away from the planet as Derris Kharlan departed, taking with it the hero whose name was enshrined by the tree.

On the comet, Kratos Aurion had a rare show of emotion as he smiled on the world below. No longer carrying an Exsphere, he took off the round object and used its mana to propel the comet away. "Make sure you keep your promise, Noishe," he said, "Protect the world the best you can, then I can be sure to go in peace."

* * *

Their efforts to save their world did not go unnoticed, as soon the governments of both countries were eager to recognize their work. A great ceremony was held, in which each person was awarded a Medal of Honour. As they met the press and other high-ranking officials from both countries, they discussed their reflections on the entire event. Lloyd was first and directly talked about the maturation process it took him through. "I admired my ancient counterpart, but I also realized there's more to the world than that met the eye. It's never easy to change, especially one's own ideas," he described.

Colette was next, and she reflected upon the care that she received from those around her; not just her parents, but from Lloyd, and even Lynn. "Even in a time when those around us did negative things, there's always a silver lining that shows the positive side of people," she stated, her eyes trained onto Lynn, who she knew echoed her thoughts.

Genis and Raine were next, and both touched on how their backgrounds and race did not matter in this battle, as all denizens of the planet had a responsibility to safeguard their home. "When our own world's in danger, we all must protect it," Raine explained, "I may be just a research assistant from a university, and my little brother is some preteen growing up in a suburb and is fascinated by mana battles, but when the call came, we knew we had to act." Beside her, Genis nodded and looked at Ricardo, who was in the crowd. The old elf was very proud of his young friend and all his deeds.

Zelos and Sheena were also honoured, but by a representative from Tethe'alla instead of Sylvarant. Sheena spoke of remembering history, and how old battles were still relevant in being applied to today's situation. "It may just be my own heritage, but being a Mizuho native, I've always been taught to cherish our history, whether they be positive or negative," she told the audience, "And clearly, after this incident, there's still a lot to be learned from our historical battles to make our future even safer."

Zelos, however, kept his speech shorter, choosing to honour Altessa for his courage to stand up to Cruxis, his sister for staying strong, and those around him for still believing in him. "The strengths of all those around people me, whether I like them or not, are all relevant. They all share this world, and for that I tip my hat off to you."

The honours returned to the Sylvarant side as Captain Noishe was honoured, and the former Protozoan had arguably the longest list of people to thank. Leading from the days after the Reunification, he reflected on all those that were involved in the efforts to make the world a better place. "I've said it before: everyone in the events from the actual Reunification, throughout the civil wars, and leading up to today, are connected in their attempts to better our world," he announced, "Whether they be ideals, education, new constitutions, and even law enforcement, they all performed their parts in improving our conditions. And to be there, to see our countries go from disparate and racist to nearly equal and tolerant, that alone is reward enough for me. And in the shoes of both a police captain and a citizen, I feel truly grateful. Thank you all for doing your part."

And the last person to receive an award was none other than Gilbert Irving, who clopped onto the stage on his crutches. After naming the new Mana Tree, Gil ended up being sent back into a medical centre again, and the damage he took on Derris Kharlan made it so that his lower leg did not improve at all. Forced to wear the same style of cast he did after Raine healed him, he had to return to using crutches to help him walk. But even with the cast, he had a surprisingly quick step and straight posture, as if he were marching in formation at a police parade.

As Gil stepped up, Lloyd pulled out a picture from his wallet. It was the same picture that Gil always had in his room, with Anna and a one-year-old Lloyd posing with Gil at his police academy graduation. Lloyd was too young to remember correctly, but he somehow had a picture in his mind when Gil's name was called at that ceremony:

**Sixteen years ago…**

_Anna gently rocked an infant Lloyd in her arms, trying to keep the baby awake at the police academy graduation ceremony. Originally the cadets were in alphabetical order, but when the letter reached "I", Gil was nowhere to be found. Lloyd, not exactly a patient type, was nearly asleep, and it took everything Anna had to keep him awake. "Is Gil receiving a special award of some sort?" Anna wondered aloud._

_Finally, when the last cadet was called, the academy commandant reached for the microphone again. "There is one cadet that we certainly have to honour greatly. He has shown every brilliant potential to serve our society well. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you our cadet of the year, Officer Gilbert Irving!"_

_The crowd erupted into applause as the final graduate marched onto the stage. That got a reaction from Lloyd, who rested comfortably in a semi-asleep, and was not too appreciative of at the reception his father received. Nonetheless, Anna lifted the now-stirred Lloyd onto her shoulders. "Look at Daddy, Lloyd," she cooed. And indeed, there he was, in his sparkling uniform, his neatly combed hair, and clean-shaven face, Gil Irving was on stage. He snapped a neat salute before the commandant gave him the plaque. _

_After a quick handshake, the crowd simmered down, taking their seats again as Gil gave a quick speech. "There are so many people I want to thank in receiving this award," he began, "I've worked with some wonderful people, all of which made a great difference in my life, and I would certainly remember all that they've taught me, so that I can become a good police officer, and a good person…"_

"…but there are two particular people that I truly appreciated, and I absolutely have to thank," Gil continued, snapping Lloyd's mind back into the present day. Lloyd got a good look at Gil, repeating the same procedure from sixteen years ago when he won his first award. Gil was wearing his police uniform for the first time in ten years. And, in a strange twist of fate, his father combed his hair the same way it was when he graduated from the academy, and shaved off his famous goatee as well.

Gil turned to Lloyd, finding his son in the crowd. "I want to thank my wife Anna, and my son Lloyd. I know while I was dealing with all these battles that I haven't been the family man you two have expected of me. That's why, once this is all over, I'll make amends. Believe me, Lloyd, I will make it happen. Thank you."

Cameras flashed and people cheered as Gil eased back from the podium. Holding his crutches, he hobbled his away off the stage. During the entire process in which he was helped down the steps, his eyes were focused on Lloyd, who smiled and nodded, all the while trying to hide his tears from his father. Gil waved to him as he came down from the stage, giving Lloyd yet another image that would last in his memories forever.

* * *

"Mom, it's been a while since I last came here, but now that everything's over and Dad got the job done, I thought we'd catch up," Lloyd softly spoke to the gravestone of his mother. Gil was here for Chief Marshall's funeral, which was just across the field from Anna, and had told Lloyd he could visit her while he attended to the chief. "Dad's been through a lot for us, a lot more than I originally gave him credit for…"

At Marshall's place, there was a full police escort with honour guards and other lavish activities. Both Noishe and Burton were there, commemorating the man that they worked with throughout not just the Cruxis case, but throughout their careers. The honour guard, led by a flag bearer, moved up to the coffin as it prepared to be put into the ground. Nearby, Gil was also present and dressed in his uniform, but did not join in the ceremony, opting to observe as a regular officer. "It's been a while since I've been considered regular, so please let me have this moment," he told Noishe, "Besides, I have better memories of Marshall as a friend rather than a superior."

The slow procession halted as the shooters surrounded the coffin from both sides. The flag bearer positioned herself between the coffin and the headstone, unleashing the flag of the Iselia police force. From his position, Gil saw the sombre face of the flag bearer: she was a young woman with short brown hair and brown deep-set eyes. She held the flag high and proud above Marshall's coffin, representing the way the chief served in the force. A bagpipe player made his way next to the flag bearer, standing to her right as the final part of the ceremony commenced. The bagpipe player had relatively tan skin and black curly hair that barely showed underneath the police cap.

"Present arms!" The shooters all prepared their rifles as the flag on the coffin was removed. It was folded into a triangle and put into the hands of a short officer with brown, somewhat spiky hair. "She's Genis' size, but her hair resembles Lloyd," Gil mumbled to himself as this short officer moved to the flag bearer's left. After another set of orders, the shooters aimed their guns straight into the air and faced towards the coffin.

Gil could see the faces of the two closest shooters at him. One was an elf, a rare situation in Iselia's police force. He had a tan but freckled face, blue eyes, red messy hair, and a slightly muscular build. The other was a human female officer with long brown hair and blue eyes. "Pretty ironic that this situation ends with a human and elf, since it's half-elves, a mix of the two races that killed the chief," Gil muttered.

The bagpipe player blew into his instrument, with the unmistakable sound of the tune Amazing Grace echoing through the area. The shooters fired their rifles in salute as the coffin slowly disappeared from view. Many officers around saluted as Marshall was given his eternal rest. Gil was among them, balancing his crutches on his sides while he lifted his hand. But while his right hand was at his temple, his left was placed near his heart. "Goodbye, my friend," he whispered, a tear forming.

The sad song rang through the air, ending just on cue as the coffin reached the bottom. As the honour guard, the flag bearer and the bagpipe player left, the holder of the triangular flag spotted Marshall's relatives in the crowd and presented the flag to them. Gil proceeded to the other side of the cemetery to pick up his son, finding Lloyd still in a heart-to-heart conversation with Anna. "I'll be strong, I'll work hard, and I'll turn my life around, starting with school," Lloyd promised his mother, his voice quivering, "I swear I'll be a man that you can be proud of, just like Dad." Father and son embraced on the spot, enjoying a moment that would last forever. It was the first time in ten years that the Irving family was this close to one another, and none of them wanted to forget this event.

* * *

That night at the Irving residence, all seemed to have returned to normal as Lloyd prepared to call it a day. Stepping out of the bathroom in only his boxer briefs, he passed by his father's room. "Goodnight, Dad," he called, but surprisingly, no response. Lloyd took a peek inside and saw Gil shuffling through boxes and boxes of files. "Dad, it's late, what are you up to?" he asked, stepping to the doorframe.

Gil looked up. "Hey, Lloyd. I was just going through some old files. I realized that with the case closing, it's only right that I hand the rest of the documents to Noishe. I've been wanting to tell you a bit about them, so if you don't want to sleep yet, I'll be happy to show you some of the stuff I've done," he offered, inviting Lloyd into his room, "None of this is classified, ever since the events of the invasion were broadcasted that publicly."

Lloyd stepped in, anxious to see his father's files for the first, and probably the last time. "I have a few minutes, I'll stick around," he replied, "I'm sure Captain Noishe won't mind having me know about it. I promise I won't tell anyone…"

As father and son spoke, a certain police captain was at the vault of the station, finally finished with the report on the Iselia invasion, his last in this case. Noishe stepped into the vault at the wee hours of the night, stuffing his report into a file and putting it in a cabinet. The drawer was pushed shut and the labelling card slipped into the right slot. In the dim light, Noishe scribbled onto it: Cruxis crimes, case status solved. The former Protozoan patted the drawer one last time, announcing his wish before leaving for home. "Rest in peace, Anna, Chief Marshall, and Kratos. Rest in peace."

And up on Derris Kharlan, Seraphim turned regular Exsphere-less human Kratos Aurion stared at the planet as the comet drifted away. Reflecting on his experience, he stated softly, "Stay safe, everyone, and enjoy your lives to the fullest. You all deserved it."

Where had all that time go? I started this story off without fans, support, or confidence. Deep down, I wondered how long I'll last with my limited ideas. But then one thing built on another and before long, I got this big story all finished. For that, Tales of the Departed is truly "the little story that could."

* * *

I'm probably taking a break from the Tales of Symphonia fandom, and returning to the fandom I used to write for. I have a sequel to a story I original wrote there that I want to start. You'll still see me around TOS, but I just won't be posting anything for a while. Hopefully by this summer I'll have something, because I already have some ideas what I want to do with Gil and friends after this ordeal. Until then, thanks for reading my story and see you around!


End file.
